Harmony Bound
by flowerchild33
Summary: Harry and Hermione soul bond at the end of GoF. AU after. What happens when Harry and Hermione bind at a young age? How will that change their destinies and the path of the war? M for chapter 2 onward. My usual bit of smut mixed into the rest of the story.
1. Soul Bond

**This is my take on the idea of a two person soul bond. I know this has been done a lot, but every story I've found were not quite right. Some were good, but each had issues, so I decided to write my own :-)**

Chapter 1 – Soul Bond

The cemetery…Wormtail…Voldemort…being forced to give his blood…Death Eaters…the duel…seeing his parents…Cedric asking for his body to be taken to his parents…returning to the maze…dropping the cup…Dumbledore questioning…Hermione screaming…Moody, but not Moody...Moody in the trunk…confessions…

It all ran through Harry's head as he slowly came to consciousness. He shivered as he opened his eyes. Everything was fuzzy. Then a familiar face was there, fuzzy but perfect, and the voice. Hermione was talking to him. At first it sounded like she was distant, but gradually he came to and the voice was stronger.

"Harry! You're awake! You're shivering, are you cold? Here, I can get another blanket. How do you feel? Oh god, I'm so glad you're okay."

Then she was crying and Harry leaned over to put his hand on her shoulder.

"Hermione, I'm alright. Not cold. It's okay. Well, maybe not okay, but I'm here. Where am I anyway? I can't see."

Hermione sniffled and reached over to a small table and handed Harry his glasses. He put them on and the room came into focus. The hospital wing. Again. The sun seemed bright. It must be morning. Then he looked at the witch by his bed. She was wiping her face and staring at him. The sun hit her cloud of hair and looked like a halo. Then she gave him a small smile and Harry thought that for a minute everything would be alright. Then she exploded.

"Harry James Potter! Don't you ever scare me like that again! Too many damn times! Thought I'd lost you!"

She threw herself at him as Harry propped up on the edge of the bed. He put his hands up defensively as she smacked him on the side of the head. What the hell? Did Hermione just curse? She must really be angry.

"Mione I'm sorry. I didn't know it was a portkey. Obviously. I really don't like almost dying, despite the fact I seem to be good at it."

She calmed for a minute and just stared at him, shaking her head and looking like she was going to cry again. Harry reached out to hug her and took her in his arms. She melted into him and suddenly the world seemed to stop. He held her for a long minute and then pulled back slightly to look at her. Her eyes were puffy and her face was red. She looked like she hadn't slept much. She must have spent the night at his bedside. She was beautiful and she was his best friend. She was always there when he needed her, even when he didn't know he did. Suddenly it hit him what she meant to him. Knowing this may not be the best time, but unable to hold himself back, he let the words slip out.

"Mione, I love you. Thank you for being here. I love you so much and I'm sorry I scared you."

She looked shocked for a minute before her face lit up again and then she leaned in closer, giving him an invitation he couldn't refuse. Harry pulled her to him again and kissed her deeply. The kiss was amazing, like everything light and good was being poured into him. She opened her lips slightly and he began to caress her with his tongue as the kiss continued. Then something strange happened. Suddenly the room seemed to be bathed in a brilliant blue-white light and a chiming could be heard, growing gradually louder. As they pulled back from the kiss, the light flashed and the chime crescendoed and died. The two were left staring at each other, unable to explain how, but knowing something truly special had just happened, even if they didn't understand.

"I love you too Harry."

"Oh my, I think I need to get the headmaster."

The two teens were startled, not realizing anyone else was nearby. Turning, they saw Madam Pomfrey standing a short distance away with a shocked expression. She turned before they could say anything and bustled out of the room. Shrugging her shoulders, Hermione decided that she wanted to kiss Harry again. So she did. This time wasn't as spectacular, but it was still wonderful. As they kissed and she leaned in, she found herself with her knees on the bed. Laughing, Harry pulled her over onto the bed and she settled into his side, happy to snuggle with him and just enjoy a few brief moments together. Hermione wondered what had happened, but she didn't get much time to ponder as the Headmaster, Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey came running into the hospital wing. They paused at Harry's bed and the look that Dumbledore gave them was most peculiar.

"Good morning Harry. I'm glad to see you're awake. Poppy told me about what happened a few minutes ago. I was wondering if you could explain what you remember?"

Harry looked at Hermione and grinned. Then he blushed and tried to find his voice.

"Um, well headmaster, I woke up and Hermione was here and she got kind of angry at me for almost dying again and then I hugged her because she was upset and all of a sudden I realized how I felt about her. I guess I fell in love with her in the past couple years, but I was confused about our friendship. I couldn't help myself, so I told her how I felt. Then I kissed her and she kissed me back and there was some kind of lights and music. At least I think there were, maybe my head is still addled, but I don't think so. When we kissed it was amazing, like when I cast my patronus and I can feel my magic rising. Except there was also this feeling as if everything good was being poured into me. Like the opposite of what I feel near the dementors. It was quite a kiss."

Harry looked at Hermione and she grinned at him. He gave her a brief peck and she giggled and looked over at the three adults. Madam Pomfrey was smiling. Professor McGonagall seemed surprised and Dumbledore was stroking his beard. He took a moment and then smiled and looked at Hermione.

"Hermione, what is your viewpoint of what happened?"

"Well, it was like Harry said. He told me he loved me. And that was amazing, because I realized last year that I'd fallen in love with him, but I was afraid to tell him and I thought it was maybe just hormones and would pass, but it hasn't. Then he told me he loved me and it was amazing and then he kissed me and it was just perfect."

Dumbledore smiled even more.

"Ah, well then, it seems that it is much like Poppy said. And I think I know what has happened. Quite surprising at your age, but not unheard of. Do you have any idea?"

When neither Harry or Hermione responded, he continued.

"It would seem that the two of you have soul bonded. And I can see by the look on Hermione's face that the pieces are starting to fall into place for her. I'm sure she had read about soul bonds. They are most rare and extremely special. The fact that the two of you found each other so early in life is a unique blessing. Of course, it comes with a number of ramifications. Before we discuss those though, perhaps it would be best to get you out of the hospital wing and we can proceed to my office. Poppy, I believe you said he was due to be discharged?"

"Yes Albus. Right away. I just have one more potion to finish the treatment for the cruciatus. Then he may get dressed and go."

Hermione separated herself from Harry reluctantly and he took the dreadful potion and quickly donned the clean clothes that the house elves had delivered. With Madam Pomfrey's final good wishes, he took Hermione's hand and followed Dumbledore and McGonagall to the headmaster's office. Once they entered, they took two chairs that he offered, but kept their hands linked. Dumbledore was about to speak when a noise at the window stopped him. Looking up, he waved his hand and opened the window to allow two screech owls and a tawny owl to fly in. The owls settled in front of Harry and Hermione, depositing their parchments before accepting brief scratches and flying back through the window. Dumbledore closed the window as Harry reached for the two parchments in front of him and Hermione reached for the one in front of her. Before they could unroll them, Dumbledore spoke.

"Now, before you open those, I think we need to talk. I have an idea where those came from and I think you should be prepared for what they contain. First, Hermione, what do you remember from your readings on soul bonds?"

"Soul bonds are a unique bond between two magical beings. Usually a witch and wizard, although there have been noted cases of two witches, two wizards, two dragons and, on rare occasions, two different magical beings that have soul bonded. As far as documented cases, it happens maybe a couple times in a century. Soul bonding is acknowledged by the magical authorities as a complete legal bonding. Also, those involved in a soul bonding usually find their magic increases afterward, although often it helps if their bound partner is nearby."

"Very correct as far as the known texts have detailed. Of course, each recorded bond has been quite different and they are still rare enough that they are not fully understood. You mentioned that the bonding is regarded the same as a legal bonding. Here is where things get a bit sticky shall we say. This may come as a bit of a shock, but I am fairly certain that two of those owls are from Ministry congratulating you on your bonding. As of today, you are essentially married. You may have noticed that I addressed you as Hermione instead of Miss Granger. That is because you are now Mrs. Potter. I would also guess that the second owl that Harry received is from Gringotts. Upon his bonding, it also makes him legally emancipated and able to take on his title of Lord Potter, including control of the family vault. Also, with Harry being emancipated and the two of you being bonded, it means that Hermione is emancipated. Perhaps you should check your letters and see if I'm correct."

Harry and Hermione sat in a bit of shock, then turned to each other. Their hands were still linked as they tried to grasp what had happened. Finally they came out of their daze and separated long enough to unroll the parchments. Each had near identical letters of congratulations from the Ministry. Harry also had a letter from Gringotts congratulating him and requesting his attendance to speak with his account manager, Silverstaff, at his earliest convenience. It was all a bit much to take in, but Harry worried first about Hermione. They were married now. He loved her of course and the idea didn't really bother him. It was a bit early, but he had entertained dreams of having her as his wife someday. Of course those had been very private thoughts that he had chided himself over. Even though this didn't bother him, how would she feel being stuck with him?

"Mione, how are you? I know this is a lot to take in. I love you, and I feel lucky to call you mine, even if it is sudden. I worry though, how are you feeling?"

He squeezed her hand and she returned the squeeze, smiling at him.

"Honestly Harry, I'm still a bit stunned. Although, after nearly losing you yesterday, I'd take where we are now a million times over that. I don't think I would have been able to go on if I lost you. So, I guess that means I'm okay with this. It will take a bit to adjust to."

Harry leaned over and kissed her soundly before pulling back to smile at her. As they sat, staring and grinning at each other, Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"Well, you are taking the news well. I think it is helpful that the two of you have been friends for so long and these feelings have been building for some time. Now, we must discuss next steps. First, you need to visit Gringotts. Next, I suppose we need to make an announcement to the school. I'll let you decide how much you wish to tell, but so that you know, the light that accompanied your bonding was seen on the lawn. Minerva was actually on her way to the hospital wing to check on you when Poppy bumped into her on the way to retrieve me. Finally, there is the issue of Hermione's parents. If you wish, myself or Minerva can accompany you to explain this."

Harry took a moment to think and then turned to lean into Hermione as they discussed the options quietly between them. After a couple minutes, they pulled back and Hermione spoke.

"Headmaster, Harry and I think we will have to tell the school. If the Ministry knows, then it won't remain a secret for long. As for my parents, we will go together, but without assistance. If we are emancipated, then we need to do this on our own as adults. It won't be easy, but I believe my parents will grow to understand."

"Alright, very well. First things first, are you ready to visit Gringotts? This office is the one place in Hogwarts that you can apparate from. I know neither of you have trained yet, so perhaps Minerva can escort you? Given the events of yesterday, I would prefer if you do not go unguarded. Also, when you go home, I will have to insist that you have an Auror guard."

Harry and Hermione agreed and Professor McGonagall promptly apparated them to the Leaky Cauldron. They then made their way to Diagon Alley and Gringotts. Prior to entering, she pulled them to one side to talk.

"Mister Potter. I know you've had a lot happen recently and are probably still in a bit of shock, but now is not the time to show it. A bit of advice. When dealing with goblins, you must exude confidence as much as possible. You are no longer Mister Potter, but Lord Potter of an ancient and noble house. You must show that you understand this and be confident and demanding when dealing with the goblins. Do you understand? The same goes for you, Lady Potter. You are now the mistress of an ancient and noble house."

Harry and Hermione both nodded and McGonagall turned as they proceeded on into the bank. Harry approached the front desk and addressed the goblin.

"Good morning sir. Lord and Lady Potter are here to speak with their account manager."

Hermione squeezed his hand in appreciation at his including her. The goblin looked down on them, nodded and shuffled off. A minute later, he reappeared. Not saying anything, he gestured them to follow.

"Lord Potter, I will wait here in the lobby while you and your lady attend to your business. I do not anticipate any threats from within these halls."

Harry nodded at Professor McGonagall, trying not to appear startled by her tone of deference to himself. Turning, he moved to follow the goblin. They made their way through the massive marble lobby and into a hallway lined in polished oak with thick blood red carpet muffling their footsteps. The hallway seemed to go on forever, but at the fourth door the goblin stopped and pointed as the door with a simple silver nameplate that read 'Silverstaff' slowly opened. Stepping forward boldly, Harry led them in, still holding Hermione's hand. The inside of the office was paneled in darker wood than the hallway, but sconces on every wall lit the room well. The carpet was similar, but included a faint pattern outlined in black against the red. The walls were adorned with a number of odd medals and the center of the room was taken up by a massive desk that appeared to be carved from a solid block of mahogany. Behind the desk on the wall hung a well-polished silver staff. Behind the desk sat an old goblin who was quite large for his race, being only a half head shorter than Harry. He regarded the new lord carefully as he entered.

"Welcome Lord Potter. Congratulations on your bonding and your ascendancy to your position. Welcome to Gringotts. I am Silverstaff, the Potter account manager for the past seventy two years."

"Good day honorable Silverstaff. I hope the day finds your house well and your coffers full. My thanks for your seeing me on such short notice."

Harry felt a sense of approval come from Hermione. Or at least he thought it was her. She was standing quite close to him. He had come up with the greeting quickly, remembering a few lines from his History of Magic texts. Silverstaff seemed a bit surprised and offered them seats. Harry thought that he must have done well. He pulled out Hermione's seat and then sat himself. He wasn't sure how to proceed, but in the brief moment of pause, Silverstaff spoke for him.

"Now Lord Potter, I would assume with your recent bonding that you are quite busy so we will get down to the tasks at hand. First, now that you have reached adulthood, you are assuming the role of your head of house since the previous head of house deceased while you were a minor. When that happens, the house ring automatically returns to Gringotts since the rings of the ancient and noble houses are all goblin crafted. We also hold the will of your parents, although it is fairly straightforward. You are the sole heir of everything they leave. We will detail this shortly, but it includes their vault, which will be transferring ownership to you today. There is also the matter of your lady. Although you are bonded, you may choose to accept her as wife or instead take her as concubine, leaving the position of wife open for you to take another in the future. Of course, if you choose to take her as wife, you may still take concubines in the future as well. First, your ring."

Harry was a bit stunned by everything that was being presented, but was careful to school his emotions. This was something that he was well practiced with from growing up with the Dursleys. He could never show when something pleased him or else they would take it away or end it immediately. In addition, he learned how to magnify his apparent pain and emotions to end punishments quicker. As he faced the goblin, he made his expression passive as a small wooden box with an intricate inlay of gold was pushed toward him. The inlay was a crest showing a shield with a rose wrapped around a lion alongside a mountain with a stream. Harry opened the box and inside was a ring made with a rounded gold band on top of which was a ring of embossed gold holding a carved ruby that bore the same image as was displayed on top of the box. Harry reached and took the ring, placing it on his right pinkie finger. As he did, a brilliant gold light flashed in the room and the large ring shrunk until it fit his finger perfectly. Silverstaff looked at him with a bit of a strange expression. Once the light was gone, Harry saw a second ring that had been below his ring. This one was smaller with a band that appeared to be a vine, topped with a smaller ruby with much finer detail worked into it. It was obviously a lady's ring and he took it out to offer it to Hermione. Before he could, Silverstaff spoke.

"A moment my Lord. Before you offer your lady the ring of your house, you must know that this will designate her as your wife. A concubine does not wear a house ring."

"Thank you Silverstaff. It is my intention that Hermione be my wife. I have no desire for a concubine."

Turning to Hermione, Harry looked at her and smiled.

"I guess this is a bit after the fact since we already bonded, but I feel that this is only right. Hermione Jean, I love you with all of my heart. You are my best friend. Will you consent to take the role of my wife and wear the ring of my house?"

"Yes my lord. I love you and could want nothing more."

Hermione eyes twinkled as she smirked at him. Harry grinned and placed the ring on her right pinkie finger. A similar golden light encompassed them both as both their rings flashed and a beam joined the two. Once the light finished, Harry leaned forward, gave Hermione a chaste kiss and whispered quietly.

"Once we get a chance, I will do things right and get a ring for your other hand."

Silverstaff watched them and, as Harry turned back to him, he thought he saw what might pass for a goblin smile.

"Hmm, very interesting. The house magic has accepted you well. We don't get the flash often. I think you may bear watching young Lord Potter. Now, do you realize the significance of your family crest?"

"No, unfortunately I do not. Can you please assist my knowledge honorable Silverstaff?"

"The crest of the Potters is one that has developed over time and tells a good deal about the history of your family. The Potter name is not one that goes back to the earliest history of wizardkind, although it does go far. The Potter line also includes the last remaining blood of two other ancient and historical families whose name has become extinct. First, the rose is the symbol of Peverell family. Another symbol has come to be associated with the last three of that line, but that is a story for another time. Next, the lion is one that you should be familiar with, as it the symbol of Gryffindor. Finally, the mountain and stream is for the Potter line. Your family chose to associate themselves most closely with the land from whence they came, but also to include a link to two of the greatest wizarding families that contributed their blood to your own."

Silverstaff paused and Harry took a moment to absorb what he was learning. He was heir to Godric Gryffindor? How could the sorting hat have ever thought to put him in Slytherin? Well, that was something to ponder for another time. Now Silverstaff was pulling out another box, although he did not immediately offer it to Harry.

"Now Lord Potter, there is another ring that is due to you. This one carries an unusual history. This is the ring for a house that also went extinct, but who was never absorbed into another family. The last of this house was a woman who never married to pass on the blood. Thus, this ring is to be passed on to the last known blood tie to the family. The ring is that of the family Ravenclaw. It was the ring that Rowena Ravenclaw wore upon her marriage into the family. That marriage produced only one child, a daughter, before her husband's untimely death. When that daughter produced no progeny, the male ring was destroyed. Because Helena died before her mother, Rowena passed her ring by preference to her eldest niece. Since that time the ring has always gone to the eldest daughter of the family. In the ensuing centuries as families intermarried, the Ravenclaw ring was passed to a young girl named Beatrice. She in turn married a man name Linfred. That man became the founder of the Potter line. While this ring has traditionally been handed down to the eldest daughter, in the case of no female heirs, a son may choose to gift it to his bride. I explain this now so that you may make the decision on whether you wish to gift the ring to your wife. If not, we will hold it until you produce a female for the family line."

"Thank you Silverstaff. It seems there is much I need to learn of my family history. I wish Hermione to have the Ravenclaw ring, but I must ask, what does it bring with it?"

"Unfortunately, no artifacts are left from Rowena Ravenclaw. There are rumors, but those are tales from history. The ring itself is one of the last items we have left from her. Of course, the woman who wears the Ravenclaw ring has rights to vote over Hogwarts. Also, since you wear the ring of the last blood of Gryffindor, you hold the right to vote over Hogwarts as well."

"Vote over Hogwarts? What do you mean?"

This time it was Hermione who spoke up.

"Harry, it's something I read about in _Hogwarts: A History,_ although the privilege hasn't been exercised in hundreds of years. Each of the four founders had one vote on all decisions related to the school. If they tied, then nothing was done. Anyone could also abstain and not vote. The votes of the founders override any appointees such as a headmaster. If this reasoning is correct, the two of us with our two votes could override Professor Dumbledore if we chose. Unless the descendants of the other two founders voted against us."

"Indeed Lady Potter, you are well versed in the history. As for the other descendants, the only one that remains of Slytherin's line is the one that you fight. As for Hufflepuff, there are no descendants and the Hufflepuff rings have been destroyed. So, yes, if you chose, the two of you have a controlling vote in regards to the school. Now, do you wish to take your ring?"

Silverstaff pushed the box toward Hermione and Harry gave her a nudge. She reached and opened it to reveal a lighter gold simple band with an intrically carved sapphire depicting an eagle wrapped in vines. She took the ring and placed it on her pinky finger. A brief glow emitted and the ring wrapped itself around her other, merging and placing the smaller blue stone below the larger red ruby.

"Now then, on to the next order of business. The will of James Henry Potter and Lily Evans Potter. I will let you look it over, but it quite simply bequeaths everything to their only surviving son, Harry James Potter. They also make provisions within to allow their account manager at Gringotts to oversee all business dealings if they should be deceased prior to their son reaching an age of majority, with a profit taking of 20% for agreed upon services. The will was modified and filed on October 3rd, 1981, shortly before they went into hiding. Once you look over and accept the will, I will detail what all the holdings entail."

Harry took the will and leaned over so Hermione could see it as well. He scanned the main paragraphs, skipping over the long listing of properties, businesses and holdings. It seemed to be much as Silverstaff explained, although he was curious about the overseeing of the businesses. Wanting to move on with the explanations, he conferred with Hermione and she agreed that overall it looked straightforward. Returning the scroll to the desk, Harry looked at his account manager.

"Everything looks to be in order. I will accept the will, although I will appreciate having the details explained first."

"Indeed. Let us proceed with that order of business, then we will finalize your acceptance. First, there is the Potter vault at Gringotts. Per the last quarterly assessment, the vault contains 27,340,211 galleons. Current exchange rate to the British pound is 31.2 to the galleon, bringing the total value of gold in the vault to 853,014,583 pounds, rounded down. The vault also contains 112 paintings, 92 furnishings and rugs, 140 items of jewelry, 427 books and 319 additional artifacts."

Silverstaff paused and looked at the young lord and lady. Harry had turned to Hermione and they were both stunned by the wealth that was Harry's. Hermione's hand trembled in his. Silverstaff restrained himself, enjoying their shock. The young lord had done well keeping himself composed, but he was still quite young. Once they seemed to have collected themselves, he decided to continue.

"In addition to contents of the vault, your family also holds a number of patents. Patents have different durations, but currently there are 11 spell patents for which the Ministry pays a set amount for the use of spells developed by your ancestors. You also hold 33 potion patents, of which 29 are commercially available. Anyone who markets any of those potions pays a percentage to your family. You also hold another six miscellaneous patents, of which the most lucrative comes from your grandfather Fleamont who developed the modern sneakoscope. All patents are magically binding and any monies that are due to a patent holder are automatically rescinded to the family vault. In addition to patents, there are three family businesses that are still running. First, a modest apothecary import and export business that brings many rare specimens into Britain that are desirable for potion making. This business was begun by your great-great grandfather Charles. Second, the sneakoscope business that your grandfather founded. While the patent can be used by others with payment, the original Fleamont sneakoscope is renowned for its quality and craftsmanship. Finally, in conjunction with the apothecary import, you own a separate potion manufacturing company that has been in business for well over three hundred years. Potions are actually what the Potters are most known for. Your three companies employ a total 42 witches and wizards. As mentioned in the will, your parents left the management of the companies to Gringotts for an agreed management fee of 20% of profits. Actually, your father never managed any of the companies and they have been under our management since Fleamont's death. I might add that all the companies have done quite well with none of them garnering you less than 23,000 galleons profit per year. Next after the businesses, the will details all physical properties passing to your possession. This includes the following: 210 Avalon Lane, Godric's Hollow; Druimoor Estate near the village of Cleeveflower in the west country near Exmoor; Dedianos estate on the island of Leros, Greece; 32 hectares near the village of Saint-sur-Gironde in the Bourdeaux region of France. The notes indicate that the first property was your parents residence and the second is the historic Potter estate, where your grandparents resided and where your parents planned to move after the war. Per the will directives, Gringotts has warded all properties and performs a yearly check on each to ensure their maintenance. In addition to residences, there were two house elves bound to Druimoor. The eldest of the elves passed one year after your parents and the last elf was found deceased of old age two years ago. You are due to file for replacements with the Ministry if you wish. Now, that completes the full list of all that has been bequeathed. Do you have any questions?"

Harry took a moment to let everything settle. Looking to Hermione, he could see she was thinking of something. He nodded at her to proceed. Smiling, she turned her attention to Silverstaff.

"Thank you sir for detailing us in full. I have a couple questions. First, in regards to the patents. My understanding is that patents only last for a set time. An owner may apply to extend them beyond that for a total extension of no greater than four hundred years. For the patents that Harry now holds, are any due to expire soon and have any already been extended? Second, in regards to the businesses, how are the employees dealt with? Do Gringotts goblins oversee them? As for the properties, has anything been done to maintain them? Do you know how long it has been since any of the Potters visited the properties in Greece or France?"

"Lady Potter, in regards to your first question, of the fifty patents only two of the potion patents are due to expire in the next five years. As for the number of extensions, most of the potion patents are the oldest. Sixteen will reach the four hundred year mark within the next sixty years. After that time, they will be open for anyone. Only one of the spell patents has been extended and it is only at 119 years. The six miscellaneous patents are all within their first one hundred years. Two will need to be renewed in eight years. As for your second question, the managing of the businesses is handled by myself and three of my staff, as I am your account manager. On a daily basis, the employees are handled by a business manager that is a wizard or witch we appoint. On average, senior officials in each business will see a goblin associate once a quarter. The average working people will never see us. The three Potter businesses have been quite stable and we have been able to manage them from a distance primarily. I sense you are concerned about the employees and I can tell you that none of the management has ever issued layoffs and anyone fired was due to just cause. Issues such as those come to me directly for my oversight. Finally, in regards to the properties, occasional maintenance is needed and is performed as deemed necessary by one of our property specialists. There is a yearly property maintenance fee that covers our keeping track of the properties. We will then hire out contracting services as needed. Per the wishes of the city council in Godric's Hollow, your parents' home has not been repaired since Voldemort's attack, but has been left as a memorial. I can say that Druimoor needed a new roof three years ago and was taken care of appropriately. The property in Greece is quite small and has needed little work. The property in France is land only, but the notes I have indicate it is well situated and quite picturesque if you did wish to build there."

"Thank you Silverstaff. I have a question now. Regarding the vault. You listed gold and a number of items. I have been in the vault once to take money out for school and all I ever saw was a pile of galleons, knuts and sickles. While plentiful, the amount wasn't as much as you listed and I didn't see anything else."

"Yes Lord Potter. When you visited the vault, you were shown the front portion only as you had not yet reached your majority. Your parents authorized that five percent of the funds be made available to you during your schooling. If you choose to visit the vault today, you will see it in its entirety. Now, any more questions?"

Harry looked at Hermione and she shook her head. Turning back, he addressed Silverstaff.

"I think that covers this for now. I may have additional questions in the future."

"Very good. Whenever you do, just send an owl to my attention. Now, we need to finalize the will and agree on the details. First, do you wish Gringotts to continue with your business and property management under the existing agreement?"

"Yes, please continue the agreement until I specify otherwise. Also, can you please see to the two patent extensions and notify me when any others are due?"

"Yes, of course. Alright, here is the paperwork to finalize the will and extend the management agreements."

Harry took the paperwork and surveyed it carefully with Hermione. Everything looked to be in order. It took them nearly twenty minutes, but then he agreed to sign. Once that was done, Silverstaff looked up with his strange almost scary goblin smile.

"Thank you Lord Potter for continuing our business. Now, do you wish to visit your vault? Oh, you may also draft against your account with any participating merchant for a one percent surcharge. It makes larger transactions easier. We also have a Gringotts bag. If you wish to purchase one, they are woven of demiguise hair and will let you store up to 8000 galleons with no weight associated. We blood tie them to the owner as well so that they cannot be stolen. The cost is one hundred forty galleons each."

Silverstaff pulled out a small black bag with a gold string that was a little smaller than Harry's hand. He marveled that it could hold what the goblin claimed and he knew it would be very helpful.

"Yes sir, we would like two bags please. One for each of us."

Silverstaff nodded and pulled out a second bag.

"Alright, we need to bind the bags to you. Please place your hand palm down on the bag."

Harry did as instructed and the goblin moved his hand over Harry's. He felt a bit of heat and then a quick, burning pain. The pain subsided quickly and he raised his hand. There was a small cut that was healing over as he watched. Silverstaff handed him his bag and then proceeded to bind Hermione's bag to her.

"Well, that should conclude what we needed to discuss. Shall I have Griphook escort you to the vault now?"

"Yes, and thank you again Silverstaff. I look forward to years of successful business with you."

Harry and Hermione both shook the goblin's hand, which seemed to unnerve him a bit and then turned and left the office. Waiting outside the door was a goblin that Harry recognized from his first visit with Hagrid. Griphook motioned them to follow and soon they were in the caverns below the bank building. They climbed into the cart and began the perilous ride to the Potter vault. When they disembarked, Hermione was looking green, but tried to smile at Harry.

"I'll be glad if we don't have to do that often Harry."

Griphook led them to the vault door and turned to Harry.

"Now Lord Potter, since you are taking possession of the vault today, a new key is being issued for you. This is standard when new lords gain their majority. Please now take this key and insert it in the lock and it will bind to you. Also, since you are bound to the lady, the key will also work for her."

Harry nodded, took the key and inserted it as indicated. He once again felt a burning pain and knew that his blood was being sampled yet again. The key then turned and Griphook placed his hand on the vault door, allowing it to open. When it did, Harry and Hermione stood in stunned shock. The vault was twenty times bigger then when he had been in it before. To one side stood giant chests that were open to display galleons, sickles and knuts, all carefully divided. On the other side was an array of furniture, rolled up rugs and stacks of pictures. One long table had a number of boxes and items displayed on it. Harry stepped in and began to look around. Hermione seemed hesitant to follow and he turned back to her, taking her hand.

"Come on love, it's all yours too."

Hermione smiled and followed him in, but now she was staring at him rather than the wealth around them. Harry looked at her questioningly.

"You called me love."

"Yes I did. I didn't think about it. It just seems right. I love you."

Harry kissed her and then turned back to look around. He went to an armoire on the side and opened a couple drawers. The entire thing was full of items. A lot of it appeared to be jewelry, but there was also a full silver tea service and several devices that he had no idea what they were for.

"I could take years going through all this. I suppose right now we should get some money and put our bags to use. I think I'll go for galleons and a few sickles. We'll get knuts as we change them out."

Hermione nodded and went to start filling her bag. Harry was about to join her when an unusual item on the table caught his eye. It was a roughly wrapped brown paper package, small enough to fit in his hand. As he looked closer, he noticed familiar handwriting. It looked like Dumbledore's. He looked closer and the words written on the paper made his breath catch: _Wedding rings recovered from James and Lily Potter – to be stored for Harry._ Carefully he unwrapped the paper and took out a small box. Inside were two rings. One was a simple gold band with a knot design around it. The other was an intricate filigree gold ring with a yellow diamond surrounded by a ring of small rubies. As he held the symbols of his parents' love, Harry felt Hermione's hand on his arm. He turned and looked at her with tears in his eyes. Showing her the rings, he then handed her the paper wrapping. Soon she had tears as well.

"Dumbledore never told me. I guess he was waiting until the whole vault opened for me. I'm glad he saved them. My mum's ring is Gryffindor colors, yellow and red stones."

"Yes, it's quite beautiful. They had good taste."

"Hermione my love, I have a question. Answer me honestly. I want you to have a wedding ring. Or a bonding ring. Something to wear on your left hand. I would love for you to have my mother's ring, unless you want your own. You know now that I can certainly afford to get you anything you want."

Harry felt something strange, a wave of emotion seemed to be coming from Hermione as she caught her breath and began to speak.

"You'd let me wear this Harry?"

"I could think of no one else I'd want to wear it. If you want to."

Hermione responded by kissing him so thoroughly that he had no doubt about her answer. Once she let him breathe, he smiled and took her hand in his, placing the ring on it. It was a bit tight, but they could get it fit later and he still managed to wiggle it on. He kissed her again and then went to fill his bag with gold. With nothing else left to do, they turned to exit the vault. Griphook was waiting, having watched them.

"Lady Potter, if you wish, it is within my ability to size jewelry as needed."

Hermione smiled and held her hand out to the goblin. He waved his hand over hers and the ring adjusted slightly, allowing more blood flow.

"Thank you kind sir. That is much more comfortable."

Griphook just nodded, but Harry thought he saw a slight twitch in the goblin's lips. Soon they were back in the cart for the harrowing ride back to the first floor. Once they reached the main bank building, Griphook showed them back to the teller lobby. Harry and Hermione went to one of the tellers and exchanged some of their galleons for pounds. Then they exited to the outer lobby, where Professor McGonagall sat in a chair, sipping tea.

"Hello professor, our business in concluded. I hope we didn't keep you waiting long."

"Only a couple hours. Not long considering the business you had to attend to. Are you ready to return to school?"

"Yes mam, I believe we need to discuss with the headmaster how best to make our announcement."

Professor McGonagall nodded and then looked at Hermione's hand. She did a double take and Harry saw recognition in her eyes. He pulled Hermione to his side as she held up her hand.

"Yes professor, I have given Hermione my mum's ring. I offered her the choice of her own, but she accepted this. It seems appropriate, Gryffindor colors after all. Also, Silverstaff gave me the choice of what status Hermione should have, wife or concubine. To me there was no choice."

"I see. I hadn't thought about that possibility, but I wouldn't doubt your decision in that regards. I remember when James gave Lily that ring. She was so happy. I know she would be happy now to see it on the hand of your soulmate. Come, we should go."

Harry decided to ignore the tears that the stolid professor wiped away suddenly as she turned to lead them back out of the bank. He took Hermione's hand as they made their way back to school.


	2. Last Days of School

**A/N: Wow, thanks to everyone for the great response to this story! I can't believe the hits on it. I had more hits on this in one day than I did The Weasley Bunch in a week. I guess this pairing is popular. This is my first straight Harry/Hermione fic. I've done a threesome with Ron (Soul and Love Bonds), but never just Harmony. Thanks to all my reviewers as well. I am going to try to give you at least one update a week if possible, although I have another big story I'm working on right now. That story is a 19 years fic (Life's Interlude), so it's intensive. I plan on this one being long as well and much more AU than my past stories, as I have a lot of plot to play with starting from the end of GoF. I hope you enjoy.**

Chapter 2 – Last Days of School

Professor McGonagall apparated back directly to the headmaster's office, where Dumbledore was waiting for Harry and Hermione's return. It was lunch time and he had arranged for the house elves to deliver food to his office.

"Welcome back Lord and Lady Potter. Please, join me for lunch. There are a couple items I wish to discuss. Minerva, please stay as well."

"Thank you Albus, but I must attend to a couple of items to prepare for classes this afternoon. I will see the two of you in Transfiguration in an hour."

"Thanks Professor McGonagall. I appreciate you taking time off to help me this morning."

When McGonagall left, Harry and Hermione went to take the seats they had vacated earlier in the day. Dumbledore summoned two small tables and waved plates of food over to them. They finally separated their hands as they began eating. The room was quiet for a few minutea as Dumbledore began his lunch. After a few bites, he spoke.

"So, did all go well at Gringotts? I see you both wear house rings. I assume you accepted Hermione as your wife then Lord Potter?"

"Yes. The whole idea of having a concubine seems strange and wrong. I couldn't believe when Silverstaff considered it an issue. Also, can you please just call me Harry as usual?"

"Alright Harry. Thank you for the familiarity, at least in private. In public, I think it may be useful for you to reinforce your position. How about you Lady Potter, how do you wish to be addressed?"

"Just Hermione is fine headmaster."

Dumbledore nodded and continued eating before broaching the next subject. Once they were mostly done, he continued.

"Now, the next topic we need to discuss is making your announcement to the school. As you wisely surmised, keeping this a secret will be a near impossibility. I can say that already this morning there has been a fair amount of whispering over the light show that was viewed coming from the hospital wing. With all the whispers still occurring over what happened in the maze, the conjecture on the subject has been quite remarkable. So, how do you want to make the announcement and what do you wish to say?"

Harry leaned over to Hermione and clasped her hand again now that they were done eating. After a couple minutes discussion, they turned back to the headmaster and Harry let Hermione take the lead.

"Professor, we would like you to make the announcement at dinner tonight. Briefly summarize our bonding and the fact that it was a surprise that we are both quite pleased with. Also, make note of our emancipation and new formal titles, but that we wish to only use them in formal settings. We think that those couple brief statements should be sufficient."

"Alright, I think I can handle that. Short and to the point. Of course, I would be prepared if I were the two of you for quite a few questions after. Now, there is another point that we need to discuss. I noticed that the two of you seem to be quite linked. You hold hands almost constantly. I think I may have a guess, but can you tell me why?"

"Well professor, it just seems like I need to hold onto Hermione. It's hard to explain, but if I let go of her it seems wrong. After a few minutes, it's almost as if a sadness starts to come over me and then I quickly become tired."

Harry looked at Hermione and felt a wave of understanding and love. She turned to Dumbledore next.

"The same for me professor. I just feel like I need to remain connected."

"Ah, well, it would seem I was correct. Something like this has been reported with previous soul bonds. You'll be happy to know that the effect is most pronounced when the bond is new. As your bond strengthens over the next couple of days, you should be able to go for longer periods of time apart. Now, that brings me to the last item we need to discuss. After the announcement at dinner tonight, the house elves will have a married students' suite prepared for you. We have a couple of them, although none have been needed for forty years. The suite is modest, but comfortable and will allow you privacy."

Hermione blushed first at the insinuation of what their own suite would mean. Harry took a moment longer, then blushed as well.

"Now then, is there anything else you wished to discuss with me? I know this has been a long day with much to consider. I will be available if you need me."

"No, thank you headmaster. I do think we should talk to Ron before lunch is over. He should know before the announcement. He will wonder about the rings if nothing else."

"A wise decision. This change in circumstances will be most shocking for Mr. Weasley. Regarding the rings, if you wish I can cast a glamour charm to hide them for a while. It will wear off eventually, but should avoid questions during your afternoon classes."

Harry and Hermione both agreed that the glamour charm was a wise choice and Dumbledore cast them quickly over each of the rings. It was remarkable to watch them disappear, even though they still felt them. Once that was done, they excused themselves and headed back to their dorm. Everyone was out at class and lunch, which they were grateful for. Harry and Hermione discussed what they wanted to tell Sirius and then Harry started writing the details as brief as he could in a letter. Hermione then added a bit to the bottom. Finally, Harry sealed it with his ring, addressed the letter to Snuffles and then headed to the Owlery to utilize a nondescript school owl to deliver the message.

With their message sent, they next proceeded down to the Great Hall to find Ron. He had just finished eating and was in a heated Quidditch discussion with Seamus. Harry let go of Hermione's hand briefly so that they wouldn't be too obvious. Ron saw them and jumped up from the table.

"Harry! Madam Pomfrey let you out! How do you feel?"

Ron gave Harry a pummeling back slap and Harry grinned. After all that had happened, it was good to be treated normal once again.

"I'm alright Ron. I need to talk to you if you have a minute?"

Ron nodded, grabbed one more sandwich half and followed Harry and Hermione out of the hall. Harry found a nearby empty classroom and ducked into it. Ron had his mouth full of sandwich as he stood looking at his friend.

"Ron, I need to tell you something that is going to be difficult. You know you're my best friend and I never want to hurt you. What I have to tell you is something that I had no plans for, but now that it has happened I am quite happy."

Ron seemed puzzled and looked at Harry with trepidation.

"When I woke up in the hospital wing this morning, I was quite confused and upset still over what happened at the end of the third task. I don't know what the rumors are saying, but I can tell you as my friend what exactly happened. The Triwizard cup was a portkey. It took Cedric and I to a cemetery where Wormtail and Voldemort were waiting. Voldemort was barely alive, a strange alien creature wrapped in a cloth. Wormtail followed his instructions and used my blood as part of a ritual to give him a body again. Voldemort has returned. He called the Death Eaters to him and I just barely escaped…unfortunately, Cedric wasn't as lucky. I am telling you this so you understand why I was upset and how I was feeling in the hospital wing. Something else happened after I woke up. Hermione was there and quite peeved at me for almost dying again. While she was berating me, I came to the realization that some feelings I've been having were true and real. I know you love her as well, but I fell in love with her a couple years ago. I've been denying it because I didn't want to mess up the friendship the three of us have. When I was in the hospital feeling all messed up and confused, I couldn't push my feelings aside any longer. All the emotions poured out and I confessed my love to her. Then I kissed her and it was quite special."

"No…Harry?"

"Ron, I know this hard. I have to tell you the rest. The kiss was mutual and it caused something to happen. Something I had never heard of and Hermione has only read about. There was a bright light and chiming and it felt as if everything good was being poured into me. I found out shortly after, that our mutual love for each other caused a soul bond. It was unexpected, but not unwelcome. I love Hermione with all my being. Our magic finally made us face what we've been feeling."

Ron stepped back for a moment and appeared stunned. He looked at his two best friends, who were now holding hands. He had gone completely white and staggered back to sit on a table. After several long minutes, Hermione couldn't take the silence any longer.

"Ron, are you alright? Neither of us wished to hurt you. You're still our best friend. Harry told me he thought you were having feelings for me as well and that you'd be upset. I care about you Ron. Please understand that this was not something we intended, even though we're happy now."

Ron looked up at Hermione and a couple tears finally leaked out. He took a great shuddering breath and finally spoke.

"Wha..what? You bonded?"

"Yes Ron."

Ron turned and crossed the room. He kicked a chair and it began to fall over, then his magic flared and the chair flew into the wall with a crash. He turned around and looked at his friends, clinging to each other.

"HOW COULD YOU?"

"Ron, it just happened. You don't choose who you fall in love with and we didn't choose to bond. Why are you so upset?"

"Why? I…I don't understand. Hermione, you're special and I've been thinking I may like you more than a friend, but now you've fallen in love with Harry Where does that leave me?"

"You're still our friend Ron. I care for you as a friend. I'm sorry if you've been feeling something more. I didn't realize. Harry thought you might be feeling this and warned me. I'm sorry you're hurt Ron. This isn't something we chose. Have you heard of soul bonds?"

Ron suddenly collapsed and sat on the table again.

"Yes. Mum read us a story once. It was all romantic and gushy. I thought it was a tale, but she told us they're real. It doesn't happen often. So I suppose I kind of understand. It's just bloody hard. So what does this mean for you? It's like being married right? But you aren't old enough."

"Well, when it happened, Madam Pomfrey was there and she went and got the headmaster. He talked to us and explained what happened. Then we received owls from the Ministry and Gringotts. That's where we've been this morning, at Gringotts. Once we bonded, we were both emancipated and I took my role as head of House Potter. I accepted Hermione as my wife and she wears the ring of Lady Potter. I met with my account manager to go over my holdings and then we visited the family vault. While we were there, I found a package that Dumbledore left when my parents were killed. He recovered their wedding rings and deposited them for me. I gave Hermione my mother's ring. Our rings are hidden right now due to a glamour charm until Dumbledore makes an announcement at dinner. We wanted to tell you first though. We knew this would be difficult and you're our best friend."

Ron's eyes remained down and he shook for a minute before responding.

"Thanks. For telling me now. I guess I should call you Lord and Lady Potter now. I suppose you have a manor somewhere? No more hanging out at the Burrow."

"Actually I do, but I don't know that I'll go there for a while. Our first stop when school lets out will be the Grangers. This is going to take a bit to explain to Hermione's parents. I haven't planned much further than that. I know I'd still like to visit the Burrow if we are welcome."

"Oi, I hadn't thought about the Grangers. Good luck there Harry. I'm sure mum will let you come visit still. You might want to write her a note and explain this. She'll want you to tell her yourself. So, since your married, does that mean you live together?"

"Yes, Dumbledore will be assigning us married student quarters. I didn't even know there were any. Right now if we don't hold hands and touch for extended periods of time, it's very draining. Our magic is still settling into our bond. And I know what you're thinking Ronald, and we won't be discussing the details of our personal bonding with you. We're still figuring it out for ourselves."

Ron blushed and tried not to smile at Hermione's slightly scolding words. He had been trying to keep his thoughts from going dangerous places, but she had seen through him.

"Alright, we've got Transfiguration in seven minutes. We better not be late."

The three friends left the empty classroom and continued on to Professor McGonagall's class. One looked a bit dejected, while the other two were happy with a spring in their step as they held hands. They knew that alone would cause a bit of chatter, but they were ready for it. They would have far more to deal with after the dinner time announcements. The last two classes of the day went smoothly, although it was hard not to be distracted by each other. At several points Harry or Hermione found themselves breaking out in silly grins at random times. Parvati was the first to stop them after Transfiguration. Looking at their linked hands, she smiled and shook her head.

"Well I see you two finally decided to acknowledge your feelings. I for one am glad you came to your senses."

She turned and rushed down the hall without another word as Harry chuckled. Voldemort may have just returned, but right now he was having a hard time not being inexcusably happy. After Transfiguration, they both agreed that they should send a letter to the Burrow. It would be better for Molly Weasley to hear the news directly rather than wait for the news to break, which probably wouldn't take long. They drafted a brief letter between them and then made a point to seal it with Harry's ring. They sent it off with Hedwig before heading to the library to work on research for their Potions homework.

That evening, Harry and Hermione proceeded down to dinner with a bit of trepidation. Hermione was especially nervous and Harry could feel her emotions rolling into him. They had both noticed that they were more sensitive to each other. They were still learning the full impact of their bond, but they were definitely connected emotionally. He pulled aside into a small alcove where they could have a moment of peace.

"Mione love, it'll be alright. I'm right here with you. After telling Ron, this will be easy."

Harry gave her a long kiss, again relishing how perfect it seemed after having dreamed of kissing her for so long. Unfortunately, their small alcove was at the bottom of the side stairs that the Weasley twins were coming down right at that moment.

"Whoa wait a minute! What do we have here?"

"I don't know brother, looks like the kiddies are snogging."

"Since when are you two snogging each other?"

"Yeah, shouldn't you two be fighting? Oh wait, that's Ronniekins."

Harry reluctantly pulled away from Hermione and glared at Fred and George. Taking her hand, he ignored the twins and led her into the Great Hall. They found their usual seats and proceeded to try to eat, despite the butterflies in their stomachs and the fact that George and Fred were periodically flicking peas at them and then waggling their eyebrows. Harry briefly wondered if he could use his new title to put a stop to it. Then he figured that the Weasley twins probably wouldn't care about titles. In fact, their teasing would probably get worse very shortly. Soon dessert was almost finished and the buzz in the hall grew louder as everyone was ready to finish for the evening. Then Dumbledore stood and called the hall to attention. After the announcement about Cedric the night before, everyone was a bit scared about why the headmaster was calling for attention again and the hall quieted quickly.

"Good evening students. Now that we have partaken of another fine meal, I have some news that I need to relay to you on behalf of two of your fellow students. After the tragic events of the past couple days, this news brings a bit of happiness, although it will be shocking at first. As I explained yesterday, Harry Potter was abducted via portkey for nefarious means to enable Lord Voldemort to regain his physical body. During this process, Harry endured the cruciatus curse and other abuse. Because of that he was in the hospital wing last night. I am happy to report that Madam Pomfrey fixed him up in a short time. This morning when he awoke, something truly special occurred. Most of you know that one of Harry's best friends is Hermione Granger. She remained at his bedside throughout the night and was there when he awoke. It seems that the events of the previous day finally prompted the two of them to acknowledge secretly harbored feelings. In the hospital wing they confessed their love to each other and were immediately soul bonded…"

Dumbledore tried to continue, but the hall erupted in noise. Casting a sonorous charm, he called the hall to attention.

"Now, as I was explaining, Harry and Hermione experienced an immediate and unplanned soul bond. This was witnessed by Madam Pomfrey, who promptly came to me. Those of you who were on the lawn just after breakfast might have seen a bright light in the hospital wing. This was part of the unmistakable signs of their bonding. For those who are not aware of what soul bonds are and what they entail, I will briefly explain. A soul bond is a most rare occurrence where two souls are fated to meet and merge their magics. In our world, it is recognized the same as a marriage bond. Because of this it also means that the soul bonded are considered emancipated. In Harry's case, this means that this morning he took his hereditary title as Lord Potter and chose to accept Hermione as his wife, giving her the title of Lady Potter. While they have both indicated that they do not wish to use their titles on a daily basis, I would caution any of you in dealing with them. They are no longer simple students, but now the heads of an ancient and noble house, granting them certain rights and customs, up to and including blood feuds. While all of this has been sudden and unexpected, I do not anticipate that Lord or Lady Potter will be exercising their privileges, but I for one will not be testing them. Now, it is their desire to finish out the last days of this school year and continue as normal students. Please try to treat them as such and keep in mind that this is not something they chose. This was brought about by a very special love that has been growing for years. I personally extend to them my congratulations."

Dumbledore sat and the buzz in the hall started again, although not as loud as everyone seemed to be taking a moment to let the news settle. All eyes turned to the Gryffindor table. Harry squeezed Hermione's hand and she turned to him. Smiling, he leaned in to give her a brief kiss, except that she met him and the kiss deepened, giving everyone quite a show. When they separated, a slow roll of applause began from various points around the room. Not everyone was applauding, but most of the Gryffindor table was, including all the Weasleys and that was good enough for them.

After dinner wrapped and everyone began filing out of the hall, Harry and Hermione received a number of people who came by to wish them well. Then Professor McGonagall approached and they followed her toward Gryffindor tower. They stopped a hallway away from the tower at a simple door next to a painting of a pompous looking bald man in monk's robes. The professor tapped the door with her wand and uttered 'soul bond'. The door opened and she led them into a small sitting room. Then she turned to look at her two students.

"Now, Lord and Lady Potter, this apartment is being made available to you as a married couple. Along with this sitting room, there is a bedroom and a private bath. This will remain your apartment for the duration of your schooling. I made the initial password simple and would suggest you change it. Cast the spell 'invorto lexus' at the door and then give a password of your choosing. I know this day has been long for you, so I hope you will find the apartment comfortable. You still have a couple hours before curfew in which to move your belongings."

"Thank you professor. This is quite cozy. We appreciate everything you've done."

Professor McGonagall nodded and seemed about ready to leave the room. Then she turned and embraced them both together.

"The two of you are still Gryffindors, even if you do not reside in the tower. I still view you the same as my other students, but I also wish you both the best. If you need anything just let me know."

Hermione nodded and wiped away a tear as Harry thanked the professor. Then McGonagall left the stunned couple alone in their apartment. Harry looked around and pulled Hermione to him. The sitting room was much like the Gryffindor common room, but on a miniature scale. There was a leather couch and a small chair to one side, situated in front of a modest stone fireplace. The floor was covered in a Turkish style rug. Across the room was a small round table with four chairs. To one side at the back of the room were several shelves on a wall over a roll top desk. Over the fireplace was a painting of a ship at sea. Across the room a medieval style tapestry warmed the walls. It would be more than adequate for them and would also allow room for them to have visitors. Hermione looked up at Harry and took his hand as she walked through the doorway to the side of the couch. As she expected, it led to the bedroom. The room was dominated by a large four poster with hangings and a throw in Gryffindor colors. The floor had another beautiful rug. Two tables stood to either side of the bed. The far wall housed a massive wardrobe and across the room was a tall dresser. Harry looked at the bed and realized that they needed to talk. He turned to Hermione and smiled at her.

"Mione love, I think we should talk about us. Everything today has been really sudden and I'm very happy. I want you to know that I don't…um…expect anything from you. What I mean is that of course some time in the future, but not, well…"

Hermione smiled as he stuttered and put a finger to his lips.

"I understand what you're saying Harry. Let's take things slow and see how it goes. I'm not ready to make love with you quite yet, but we need to be in the same bed. We'll start there. When the time is right, we'll move forward. Let's just promise each other that we'll talk about anything that worries us?"

"Of course Mione. I know I'm not the best at it, but I'll try to talk more. I love you."

He pulled her close and they stood, holding each other for several minutes. Then she pulled back and looked at him.

"Alright, I suppose it's time to go face Gryffindor and collect our things."

Harry nodded and followed her back to the sitting room. After a quick discussion, they chose a new password and Hermione set it. Then they proceeded on to Gryffindor tower. As they approached the Fat Lady's portrait, she beamed at them.

"Ohhhh! It's the lovebirds! Aren't you two adorable together. Was the bonding as spectacular as Mathilda said?"

"Um, well, I don't know who Mathilda is, but yes it was quite spectacular."

"Ah, that's so romantic."

Harry nodded while Hermione tried to suppress a giggle and gave the password. They entered the tower and all eyes turned to them. Several people came over to talk to them.

"Okay I have to know…"

"Details now…"

"What was it like?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and looked at Harry. He squeezed her hand and nodded. Hermione turned and raised her voice to address the room.

"Okay everyone! We'll answer questions, but only because we're all Gryffindors. But I only want to do this once. Is everyone here?"

"Nay, one sec.." Seamus said as he bolted up the boys' stairs.

"I think there are a few upstairs." Romilda said and headed up the girls' side.

Hermione and Harry went and sat in chairs near the center of the room and waited as Gryffindors poured out from both towers. There would be a few who were out, but this would at least get the majority of them. Once everyone was gathered, Harry gave her hand a squeeze and let her take the lead.

"Alright, I know there are lots of questions. Most of you want to know what exactly happened. I'm going to tell you, but I warn you that it's not as lurid as some of you are hoping. It was really quite simple. Harry was in the hospital and woke up to find me by his bed. I can assure you I didn't look my best after spending all night in a chair in the hospital wing. We talked for a minute and then my emotions got the best of me and I unleashed on him. I was so scared that I had lost him after seeing Cedric. I hadn't admitted it to anyone, but I'd fallen in love with him over the past couple years. It turns out that he had also fallen in love with me, but we were both scared and confused about our friendship. Well, all the emotions got the better of us and we both declared our feelings. He kissed me and there was a brilliant light and a chiming sound. Yes, it was a quite spectacular kiss. Then when it ended, the light and chimes stopped and Madam Pomfrey was standing there looking as pale as Sir Nick and went running for the headmaster. Neither of us knew what had happened. I've read about soul bonds, but never imagined that was what we experienced until Dumbledore pointed it out. So, that's about it."

"So you became Lord and Lady Potter right away?"

Harry decided to take this question.

"No. I was discharged and we went to Dumbledore's office to talk. While we were there, owls arrived from the Ministry and Gringotts. We visited Gringotts after leaving the headmaster's office and I spoke to my account manager and took possession of my inheritance and the house rings."

Harry held up his hand to show the ring that had been visible for the last hour once the glamour charm wore off. Hermione then held up her hand and showed her ring. She was afraid she would have to explain the two stones, but then Lavender noticed the ring on her other hand.

"Hermione! Is that a wedding ring?"

"Yes. After finishing business with the Potter account manager, we visited the Potter vault and Harry found a package that Dumbledore had left there after his parents died. The package contained his parents' wedding rings. This was his mother's and he offered it to me. He also offered me a ring of my own, but I happily accepted this one. It's Gryffindor colors of course."

Everyone gathered around to look at the rings. A number of the girls could be heard making oohing and aahing noises.

"So what are you doing now?" Colin demanded.

"Well, we are here to collect our trunks. We have been assigned married student quarters that we are moving into. And, we need to hurry and get done before curfew is up. Look, if anyone has questions, just ask us. As long as it's not too personal. We'd like to keep the rumors down as much as possible."

Hermione and Harry got up, effectively ending anymore discussion. They each separated to go to their separate dorms and collect their things. On the way up to her dorm, Hermione was stopped by Ginny. This was something she had been expecting and dreading.

"Hey Hermione. Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure Ginny. I should have come to talk to you sooner. I'm sure this must be hard."

"Yeah. It's just so weird. I mean, I understand this wasn't something you asked for. Obviously the two of you are meant for each other. I just can't help but still have a bit of a crush on Harry, even though I'm dating Michael. I thought I had really put it aside. Anyway, I'm happy for you. This is obviously what was meant to be. I just wanted to let you know, that even if I'm not showing it, I don't hold anything against you."

"Thanks Ginny for understanding. Some guy is going to be really lucky to get you some day. Like Harry and I told Ron, this doesn't mean we're disowning our friends. We'll still come around to the Burrow. We actually sent your mum a note earlier. We figured it would be better than getting a howler when she read it in the papers first."

Ginny laughed. "Yeah, that was a good idea. I'm glad everything is still okay with us. Now, you're looking really tired. You should get upstairs and pack."

"That's another thing about the bond. Harry and I've been holding hands most of the day. When we're not touching, we both get depressed and tire quickly. Dumbledore says it's been reported in past bondings and should get better over time as our magic adjusts."

"Wow, strange. Well, don't let me keep you then. I don't want you to pass out from Harry separation."

Hermione laughed and hugged her friend. Then she made her way to her dorm and quickly packed everything. Levitating her trunk, she made her way back to the common room. Harry was already there and waiting.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting love. Had a talk with Ginny."

Hermione grabbed his hands and they kissed for a good minute, relishing the boost to their energy.

"Oi you two! Don't you have a private suite for that business?"

Hermione turned and glared at Fred while Harry made a rude gesture that earned him a stern look from his wife. Chuckling, he took her hand and exited Gryffindor tower. They quickly moved into their suite, but did not unpack everything, as there were only a few days of classes left. That evening, when they crawled into bed together and Hermione cuddled up to Harry's side, he found it difficult to keep his mind in safe areas when her thin pajama top left little to the imagination about what was pressing against him. They kissed briefly and then drifted off to sleep. Surprisingly, Harry found that he had no nightmares that night.

The next morning they woke and Harry smiled at morning Hermione with her hair looking completely untamed. She woke and yawned at him, then reached for her wand and cast some kind of spell at herself. Harry raised his eyebrows.

"Breath freshening spell Harry. I'll teach you, but for now, let me."

She cast the same spell on him and he immediately leaned in to kiss her. The kiss deepened and soon their tongues were entwined. It was the longest kiss they had had yet and Harry's partial morning wood was suddenly fully awake. Hermione pressed closer to him and his hands began to wander. He realized he was palming her breast and reached to pull away, but she put his hand back. As they continued and she rolled over on him, she suddenly felt his arousal and her eyes flew open and the kiss stopped.

"Sorry love. I can't help it. You're so beautiful and I'm usually partially hard already when I wake up. It just happens."

Hermione looked at him for a minute, chewing her lip in the delightfully cute way she did.

"It's alright Harry. I understand. It's flattering actually. But I guess if we're going to get to breakfast, we should probably stop distracting ourselves."

Harry sighed. "You're right. Go ahead and take the bathroom first, I'm going to think of nasty things and try to calm myself down."

Hermione looked at him and then couldn't help but let her eyes wander to the tent in his shorts. She was intrigued, but now wasn't the time. She sighed and slowly pulled herself away from Harry. By the time she finished in the bathroom, she was feeling their separation and stopped to snog Harry briefly before he took his turn. Once they were both ready, they headed out to begin their first full day as a married couple. Everything went well, disregarding a few comments from Slytherins and a teasing one when they joined the Gryffindor table from George Weasley.

"Wow, you two are looking remarkably well rested. I had expected you both to claim a 'sick' day and stay in your suite."

Hermione rolled her eyes while Harry tossed a roll at George and received a look from Hermione. No one else had further comments, although Ron still remained unusually quiet. The owl post arrived and Hermione took her copy of the Prophet. Immediately the top story caught her eye. The news had broken with the headline: _CHOSEN ONE SOUL BONDS AT FIFTEEN WITH MUGGLEBORN BEST FRIEND!_ Below the headline was the picture that Rita Skeeter had snapped of the two of them hugging after the first task. The information below that was brief, but basically outlined a bit of the widely reported details from the third task and how Harry's injuries and the traumatic aftermath had led the two of them to confess their feelings and initiated the bond. There was also a note that Lord Potter had claimed his title and hereditary seat later the same day. For the Prophet, the details were actually quite accurate. Neither of them were terribly happy with making the newspaper, but they weren't surprised either.

The rest of day went normally, although Snape was nastier than usual, but that was to be expected. That evening at dinner, the owl post brought a letter from the Burrow and another letter that was plainly addressed, with no sender indicated. The first letter was in Molly Weasley's hand, but signed by both her and Arthur. She was quite formal and congratulated 'Lord and Lady Potter' on their bonding. Then she went on to thank them for personally delivering the news before the Prophet broke the story. She also extended a welcome to them both at the Burrow later in the summer. Although the letter was formal in tone, they were both pleased that the Weasleys seemed to be accepting. The second letter turned out to be from Sirius. He was astounded and bemused by what had happened, although he noted that he would refrain from taking the mickey out of Harry until he saw him in person. He congratulated them formally and then pleaded that they allow Dumbledore to take whatever security measures possible for the summer. Finally, he said he would try to be in contact at some point. Harry wished he could see him right away, but understood and tucked the letter away.

That night the Potters retired to their suite, changed into pajamas and spent the evening talking and reading. With only two days left before they were due to board the Hogwarts Express, Hermione was worrying about how to break the news to their parents. One issue was the rings. Her parents were both astute and would notice them immediately, especially since her wedding ring was quite bold. They decided that they would check with Professor Flitwick about learning the glamour charm that Dumbledore had used the previous day. Talk about her parents and rings brought up something else that Harry had been meaning to discuss.

"Mione love, I've been thinking. I know you're happy with our bonding, but it's all been so sudden. I've heard that most little girls dream of their wedding for years and I wonder if you're missing out on that? Once we talk to your parents and everything settles down, do you want an official ceremony?"

"I hadn't really thought about that Harry. I suppose it would be nice. I always saw myself in simple white dress with a bouquet of orchids."

"Orchids?"

"Yes, I love orchids."

"Well, if you want a ceremony, just let me know. We can certainly afford it. And I can even buy you an orchid garden if you want."

Hermione laughed. "Well, I'll think about it. And I think one bouquet would be sufficient."

Harry kissed her and soon they were in a full snogging session on the couch. Harry felt himself losing control again and separated from her. He smiled and said simply 'loo' before leaving the room. Hermione sat on the couch, pondering for a moment. She got up and walked to the bedroom, standing at bathroom door.

"Harry, come out. It's okay. I don't mind you responding to me."

A minute later Harry came out, looking a bit sheepish.

"Figured me out? I'm sorry. You're just so beautiful and I can't help myself."

"It's fine. Let's go to bed. I'm tired."

Harry was glad that his arousal had diminished as Hermione cuddled up to him in bed. He really did love having her curled up with him. Soon they were snogging again and his erection reawakened. His hands wandered and he dared to go under Hermione's shirt as he began to fondle a breast. She began to moan in his mouth and his manhood throbbed. He didn't think he had ever been as hard as he now was. He pulled away, gasping and smiled at Hermione.

"Love, I need to stop. Unhhh."

"Harry, what's wrong? I was okay with what you were doing."

"Sorry, it's me. I can't hold back."

Harry groaned and Hermione looked at his pajama bottoms. She began chewing her lip again as she contemplated.

"Does it hurt?"

Harry nodded and tried to move his leg to adjust himself. Hermione made up her mind and reached forward to touch him. She was surprised at the size, but Harry's moan encouraged her.

"Harry love, I want to help. What would you normally do? Show me."

Harry raised his eyebrows and looked at her. She smiled and squeezed him again. Catching his breath, Harry reached into his pajama bottoms and released himself. As he pulled out his cock, Hermione gasped. Hermione's touches had already caused his pre-cum to start and he spread it down his shaft as he started to wank himself. She watched, fascinated. Then she decided to be bold.

"Let me Harry. I want to help."

She wrapped her small hand around his shaft and began to emulate what he had done. She was amazed at how hard it was and wondered how it would fit her. Part of her wanted him now, but she still felt it was too soon. She was being careful, afraid of hurting him, although Harry seemed to be enjoying it.

"You can squeeze harder and go a bit faster love."

She did as instructed and soon a few more drops leaked from the tip. Suddenly Harry let out a gasp and warning.

"Gods, yes...coming!"

Harry shot several spurts that covered his chest and Hermione's hand. His eyes rolled up for a minute while he gasped and recovered. Hermione was shocked, but quickly grabbed her wand and cast a cleaning spell. Harry pulled her close and kissed her.

"Thanks love. I haven't had one that painful before. But then I've never had a beautiful woman in bed with me before either."

Hermione smiled and kissed him. Soon they were fully involved again and she began moaning. Harry was palming her breasts and slowly moved one hand down to the top of the shorts she was wearing. He went slowly, waiting for her to pull back, but she didn't as his hand dipped into her pants and below her knickers. Soon his fingers were probing her folds and her moans grew louder as she pressed back into the mattress with Harry hovering over her. Harry had read a couple magazines and understood the basics, but he still wasn't real sure of what he was doing. It felt good to him as he hardened again and Hermione seemed to be enjoying it. He leaned down and kissed her deeply.

"Love, this is new to me. Tell me what you need."

"A little higher Harry."

Harry moved up and found a small firm nub. When he bumped it, Hermione jerked and moaned.

"Right there Harry. Oh god. Yes. More."

Harry continued as her panting grew and urged her to come for him as his tongue plundered her mouth. Deciding to take a risk, he kept his thumb moving on the spot and wiggled a finger into her moist core. The feeling was exquisite and he throbbed with need of his own. Then Hermione spasmed under him and threw her head back as she came and screamed his name. He kept working her like he had been and she shuddered again before pushing his hand back and diving back into his mouth. As he pressed over her, she felt his new erection and grabbed him. He was soon thrusting against her leg and then came again, depositing fresh come on both of them. Falling back on the bed, he gasped and clutched at her hand.

"Wow."

"Yeah…thank you Harry love. I never knew it could be that good. I've never managed that by myself."

"You mean…girls do that?"

"Yes Harry. Especially when their best friend comes in sweaty and gorgeous from Quidditch and a witch can barely control herself. But it's never been that good."

Harry rolled over and looked at her in shock. She was smirking at him.

"How about you Harry?"

"There's a reason I'm good at silencing charms love."

She giggled and he pulled her close as they both drifted off to sleep.

The next morning Hermione woke first and took a few minutes to stare at her husband. Last night had been amazing. She couldn't imagine how good it would be once they made love. Of course the first time wouldn't be. That scared her. Harry was much bigger than she had dreamed. She wondered if he was average. Somehow she thought probably not. When they had bonded a couple days earlier she had thought she wouldn't be ready for quite a while. Now she wondered just how long she could control herself. As she pondered how peaceful he looked, Harry suddenly began to stir and blinked his eyes open to smile at her.

"Morning love."

They each cast freshening charms and kissed briefly.

"No regrets about last night?"

"Definitely not."

After a few more kisses they managed to extricate themselves from the bed and get ready for the day. Some of the whispers had started to quiet and it was nice to not be stared at constantly anymore. After charms, they stayed after class to talk to Professor Flitwick.

"Professor, I have a favor to ask."

"Yes Lady Potter?"

"Please. No titles. I'm still Hermione. What I was wondering is if it would be possible for you teach us a glamour charm? Professor Dumbledore used one the day we bonded to hide our rings. I'd like to be able to do the same when we head home. I'd like a chance to talk to my parents first."

"Ah yes, quite understandable. I would imagine the situation will be a bit of a shock. The charm is not difficult. Something you would normally learn next year for OWLs, but you're certainly capable now. I know you have Herbology next, I am free after that before dinner, can you come back then?"

They both agreed and hurried off to Herbology. The class presented a new challenge with their rings as it was time to fertilize the bouncing bulbs. Their preferred fertilizer was hippogriff dung and Hermione didn't trust the gloves to keep it off completely. She and Harry both cast quick impervius charms on their rings and then set about working with the noxious stuff. Once they were done, they lined up with the rest of the class for Professor Sprout to cast fumigate spells on each of them. Once they were relatively clean, they made their way back to the Charms classroom. They spent the next hour perfecting the 'opscuro' charm. It took a bit of focus to limit it to the rings and not disappear a whole finger or hand, but soon they had the hang of it. They thanked the professor and walked with him down to dinner afterward.

That night they practiced the charm some more and then continued on to bed. They kissed briefly and, while Harry responded, it wasn't as painful as the night before. Hermione seemed especially tired and they turned in early, happily wrapped up together. The next day was the last of the school year and Professor Dumbledore called them over after breakfast.

"Mr. and Mrs. Potter. After your first class, I believe you have a free period. Can you please come to my office then? There are a couple details which I'd like to discuss. The flavor of the day is freezing fireballs."

They agreed and quickly hurried off to Potions. It was the last time they would see Snape for months and he had decided that they would spend the day decanting a particularly difficult potion into its separate ingredients. Decanting was still new, having only been introduced earlier in the year, and Harry especially had trouble with it. Everyone was split up separately, leaving each person on their own. Despite his misgivings, Harry found the process easier than it had been before. Somehow it seemed to make more sense. Snape came by him and sneered, but walked away without making a comment, which was good enough for Harry. Once the class was over, everyone bolted out extra quick. Harry and Hermione meanwhile made their way to the Headmaster's office. When they reached the gargoyle, Harry gave the password of 'freezing fireballs' and briefly wondered what kind of candy that was. Then they proceeded up the stairs. When they reached the top, the Headmaster was waiting.

"Come in you two. Quite prompt. Thank you."

Harry and Hermione took their seats and waited to see what Dumbledore had on his mind.

"Now, there are a couple of details we need to discuss before you leave tomorrow. First, I believe your plan is to initially go to the Grangers'?"

"Yes sir."

"Alright. I have to admit that I am troubled for your safety. There is a reason why Harry was placed with his relatives. The blood tie to his mother provides him protection."

"But sir, when Voldemort took my blood for his ritual, didn't he overcome that?"

"Hmm yes, you may be right. I have wondered about that. There is no way to know for sure. This is very old and ancient magic without set rules. I don't suppose there is any way you would be willing to return to your aunt and uncle's house even briefly?"

"NO. I am done being tortured and treated as a slave. They certainly wouldn't accept my bonding and wouldn't let Hermione stay. I am done with them."

Harry's anger flared and his magic was felt in the room, causing the sconces to flicker. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow while Hermione took his hand and calmed him.

"Very well. They will need to be informed of course. I can write the letter or you can. I don't think we need to give them details. We can simply explain that the blood link is no longer sufficient protection."

"You can send the letter professor. I don't wish to talk to them in any manner. Don't tell them I'm happily bonded to a beautiful woman. If they understand I'm happy, they'll object and try to put a stop to it."

"Alright, I will send a letter shortly then. Now, the matter of your protection. I am going to have two Aurors meet you at the train station and follow the Grangers home. I understand you will be travelling by car and the Aurors will be likewise equipped. Once you enter the house, they will disillusion themselves and lay down wards outside. At least one Auror will be on guard at the house at all times and you will be followed wherever you go. I am sure you won't enjoy these precautions, but with Voldemort back, they are necessary. Oh, one other thing you should be aware of. Since you are both emancipated, you can use magic outside school. I would still be cautious, but please keep your wands on you at all times."

They both looked shocked at that news, although it made sense. Hermione nodded and replied to Dumbledore.

"Thank you for helping us. We will try to be very careful and will keep you updated during the summer."

Dumbledore nodded and they left the office to spend the last evening of their fourth year together in their new suite. Harry was still troubled by thoughts of the Dursleys, sure that they would find out what had happened and come looking for him. Hermione tried to reassure him, but his mood was sour. Then she started kissing him and reached to pull herself tight against him as she squeezed his bum and soon all thoughts of the Dursleys left him. Eventually they moved on to the bedroom and they were each much less tentative as they pleasured each other several times before falling asleep.

The next morning they boarded the Hogwarts Express, leaving their safety net of the school, on their way to meet the Grangers. Hermione had wondered if she should somehow warn her parents, but figured there was no way she could tell them she was bringing a boy home with her without explaining further. They would simply have to deal with it as it happened. The train ride seemed to take forever as Hermione and Ginny read while Harry and Ron played chess. Then the four of them played several rounds of Exploding Snap. Finally they reached London, and Harry and Hermione cast the glamour charms on their rings. Ron and Ginny smirked and wished them good luck. Gathering their trunks, they made their way to the station platform. Harry had met Hermione's parents in Diagon Alley and at the station, so he spotted them at the same time Hermione did. Linking their fingers with one hand and dragging their trunks with the other hand, they made their way to Hermione's surprised looking parents.


	3. Meet the Parents

Chapter 3 – Meet the Parents

"Mum, dad!"

Hermione let go of Harry and her trunk to hug her parents. Her mum squeezed her extra long and then she stepped back and took Harry's hand as both her parents raised their eyebrows.

"You remember Harry. He's going to come stay with us this summer. I know it's a surprise, but I'll explain when we get home. Please trust me. Harry, do you remember my mum Jean and dad Neil?"

"Yes Mione. I last saw the two of you on the platform at the start of the school year. It's good to see you again."

Hermione began to move forward and her parents took the hint. Her mother shot her a look and took her arm while her dad grabbed her trunk. She had stuck Crookshanks' crate to the top and he jostled a bit and screeched, but soon they were set and proceeding through the magical barrier into the muggle portion of King's Cross station. Once they left the station, they walked a block to where the Grangers had parked and Hermione was glad to see they had brought the Land Rover. There would be more than enough room for hers and Harry's trunks, as well as Crookshanks, Hedwig and Harry's broom. Once they were all loaded, Neil began to navigate the busy traffic and Jean tried to make small talk with Hermione and Harry. She turned and saw that they were sitting quite close in the backseat and were linked still. Neil looked in the mirror and saw the same, but soon had to watch traffic again. The ride to the Grangers' home was tense, but Harry had had much worse drives with the Dursleys. As long as he had Hermione to hold onto he would be alright. The ride took forty minutes as they made their way north out of London on the way to Cambridge. At one point Harry saw the same small Fiat zipping in and out of traffic and figured the Aurors must be tailing them. Neil noticed the same car and scowled.

"I don't know what is going on, but I think we have a tail. Whoever it is, is either the best driver ever or damn lucky with the maneuvers they're pulling."

"Actually dad, that's probably the Aurors. Headmaster Dumbledore said we would be assigned security. And they probably have an anti-collision charm so that it doesn't matter how good they drive."

Neil looked in the mirror at his daughter once again and shook his head.

"Well, I certainly hope you can explain all of this very shortly."

"As soon as we're home dad."

The Grangers lived on the edge of a good size village between London and Cambridge, and Harry was impressed at the beautiful modern English revival house that Neil pulled up in front of. He pulled into the garage and parked the Land Rover next to Jean's BMW. Harry got out and helped Hermione before going to help Neil with the trunks. Jean watched his attitude and was impressed that the young man certainly seemed to have good manners. Soon they were in the house and Neil deposited the trunks at the bottom of the stairs, apparently unwilling to take them further until he received explanations. Hermione let Crookshanks out and then turned to see her parents standing side by side, waiting.

"Alright, why don't we go in the living room and talk?"

Hermione took Harry's hand and they followed her parents to the living room. Once there, Hermione began to circle the room and lay down heavy privacy charms. Both her parents watched, astounded.

"Hermione, you can't do magic outside of school!"

"I can now mum, but we'll get to that. It's important that what is said here does not go further. The Aurors should be outside now under disillusionment charms laying down wards over the house and grounds. There will be a guard the entire time we are at home and a guard that follows us if we leave. You don't have to worry, they will remain disguised or disillusioned."

Jean blanched and Neil scowled as they settled into a sofa. Hermione and Harry sat on a loveseat across from them and clutched onto each other. They had discussed how to do this, and Hermione thought it best that she take the lead to start.

"Mum, dad, we have quite a bit to tell you. Some of it will be hard to understand and some will be difficult for you, but I ask only that you let us tell you everything first. You know that there is a dark wizard named Lord Voldemort that has been rising in power and that Headmaster Dumbledore is one of the people fighting to stop him. You also know the story of what happened to Harry fourteen years ago and how he somehow defeated the Dark Lord when he was a baby. Since then Lord Voldemort has had to live a half-life without his own body. Two years ago, when I was petrified, he tried to possess the body of a first year student at the school. Thanks to Harry, he was stopped. This past year Harry was improperly forced to participate in a very dangerous competition called the Tri-Wizard tournament. Something horrible happened at the end of that tournament and I'm going to let Harry tell you his story."

"Thanks Mione. Mr. and Mrs. Granger, the Tri-Wizard tournament is a competition where champions from three magical schools compete in three extremely difficult magical tasks spread over the school year. The tournament was designed to foster camaraderie among the young people at the different schools. The tournament is so difficult that an age limit was placed on it where no one under seventeen could compete. I did not enter my name for consideration, but Lord Voldemort had a Death Eater in the school under disguise who managed to put my name in. I became a fourth champion. The way the tournament was arranged, once my name was chosen, it was a binding magical contract and I had no choice but to compete. I did not find out the reason that person wanted me in the tournament until the final task that took place a week ago. At the end of that task, myself and another student tied as we reached the final cup. As soon as we took hold of it, the cup transported us away from the school. I can give you full details later, but Lord Voldemort was waiting for me. He had not intended for two of us to come with the cup. The other student, a Hufflepuff named Cedric Diggory, was killed by a Death Eater immediately. I was then tortured and forced to donate my blood for a dark rite. That rite allowed Lord Voldemort to take physical form again. I managed to escape afterward and use the cup to transport back to Hogwarts. I was injured, but told my story and Dumbledore managed to uncover the Death Eater hidden in the school. After that, I was taken to the hospital wing to be treated for my injuries overnight."

Harry paused and looked at the Grangers. Jean's mouth hung slightly open and they both looked pale. He turned and smiled at Hermione and she continued as they had planned.

"I know this is a lot to understand mum and dad, but now I need to tell you the rest. When Harry was in the hospital wing, I stayed by his bed overnight. You know that Harry and I have been friends for years. Now, I have to confess that I have been falling in love with him for a couple years now. I denied my feelings for fear of damaging our friendship. When I saw him disappear after he took the cup, and then when he returned hurt with Cedric dead next to him, I thought I had lost him. I cannot tell you what that felt like. We've had some hard times before this, but I have never felt despair like that."

Hermione choked a bit and wiped her eyes. Harry put an arm around her and pulled her close. Once she collected herself, she continued.

"So, I stayed at his bedside all night. I needed to be there to see him wake up. The next morning when he woke I was so relieved. Then I became quite upset and yelled at him for almost dying on me. You know how worked up I can get. After I yelled at him, I started crying and Harry hugged me. He then confessed to me his feelings and told me he loved me. I couldn't believe that he felt the same way and I confessed the same to him. Then he kissed me and something quite strange happened. There was a very bright light and chimes sounded. Madam Pomfrey witnessed it and went running for the headmaster. Later, once Harry was discharged, the headmaster explained what happened. It was something I have read about, but hadn't realized what it was. What happened is that Harry and I became soul bound to each other. It's extremely rare and many witches and wizards consider it something from myths and fables. It's hard to explain what it's like, other than the light and music, it's like everything perfect in the world is being heaped onto you and for a few moments you feel as if nothing has been or ever will be wrong in life. It's…quite amazing."

Hermione looked at Harry as she found it hard to speak again. She was supposed to continue, but Harry whispered to her and she nodded for him to take over.

"I know you must be wondering what this means. Headmaster Dumbledore had us in his office and was about to explain when three owls arrived. We each received one from the Ministry, and I also received one from Gringotts. The Ministry was congratulating us on our soul bond. The magic that was released when we bonded registered immediately at the Ministry. The authorities registered us as bonded, which in the wizarding world means we're married. We're also legally emancipated, which is why we can now do magic outside school."

"WHAT?"

"You're…married? But, Hermione's fifteen. How old are you Harry?"

"I'll be fifteen in July."

"Now look Harry, Hermione has talked about you a lot and you sound like a fine young man, but I cannot tolerate whatever this is that happened with my fifteen year old daughter. You are certainly welcome to visit and you may date her with proper restrictions, but the rest of this is ridiculous."

"Dad, please sit down and let me explain a bit more. I know this is difficult. What you need to understand about soul bonded individuals is that we cannot be separated. From the time we bonded, Harry and I have tried to hold hands most of the time. If I separate from him for longer than about twenty minutes, I become incredibly tired and drained. It's actually gotten slightly better. The first day it only took a few minutes. Gradually the time we can be apart will increase as our magic settles into our bond. If we are kept apart for too long, it may prove fatal. I'd have to look at the few records that there are on soul bonded couples. I don't know if any have ever tested that theory."

"Mr. Granger, there is something else that you need to know. When I became emancipated, I received a letter from Gringotts. I am the last surviving heir of House Potter and immediately took my hereditary title and assumed leadership of my house, including my vault, patents, businesses and properties. At that time the goblins asked if I wished to accept Hermione as my wife and make her Lady Potter, or if I wished to keep her as a concubine and take another for a wife later. I know, the idea is horrendous. I was appalled and obviously there was no choice, but the goblins are quite formal in the old ways. Hermione accepted the ring of House Potter and is now my lady."

At this point, Harry drew his wand and dissolved their glamour charms to show their house rings. Jean just shook her head.

"So, you're Lord and Lady Potter now?"

"Yes mum."

Neil seemed too stunned to say more at the moment, then Jean noticed the ring on Hermione's other hand.

"Is that a wedding ring?"

"Yes mum. We found it in the vault after we met with the Potter account manager. It was Harry's mum's. He offered it to me and gave me the choice if I wanted one of my own that he would buy for me, but I love this one. It's quite special."

"Good god, you really did it. You went and got married. You're bloody fifteen!"

"Neil, please, language. It's difficult, but it wasn't something they planned."

"Mr. Granger, please know that I love your daughter more than my own life. I know we're young, but neither of us is your average immature teenager. We've been through a lot together. If we weren't meant to be together, the magic wouldn't have bonded us. Also, I want you to know that I plan on completing my schooling and finding a good job, but I don't really need to. I have enough money, including ongoing income from family businesses, to provide for us for several lifetimes. I also own a number of properties, including the ancestral Potter home of Druimoor. I can show you my account statements from Gringotts if you wish."

"Please. Let's get all of this out on the table now."

Harry went to his trunk and pulled out the rolls of parchment from Gringotts. He handed them to Neil and went back to sit by Hermione. The parchments included all details, including the rough conversion rates to British pounds. Jean leaned over and scanned the parchments at the same time as her husband and they both paled again. When they finished, Neil set it aside and rubbed his face, then he stood and began pacing. After a minute, he turned back to talk to Hermione and Harry.

"Alright, so now my fifteen year old daughter is magically married. She is also now nobility and wealthy beyond imagining. And if I decide to try to separate her from her husband, they will both probably die. Oh, and her husband is being hunted by a dark wizard who just came back to life and wants to kill him. Is that a good summary?"

"Yes dad, except you forgot the part where we plan on fighting and destroying the dark wizard so that we can live in peace and enjoy a happy future."

Neil just nodded and sunk back onto the couch next to his wife. He leaned into her for a minute and then they rose.

"Please excuse us for a couple minutes. We need to talk."

Harry and Hermione waited, lost in their thoughts and clinging to each other. As the minutes grew longer, Hermione became more nervous. Harry pulled her close and kissed her briefly before placing his forehead against hers. They closed their eyes and breathed in each other's breaths, taking comfort from their closeness. A few minutes later, the Grangers returned to the room and paused at the sight. Jean suppressed a sob. It was obvious how bonded they were. She may not understand it completely, but then she didn't understand much of her daughter's world. Neil cleared his throat as they proceeded into the room. Harry and Hermione pulled apart and turned to look at her parents. Jean was the one who spoke for them.

"Hermione, your father and I have spoken and have come to an initial acceptance of what you've told us. This is of course quite difficult. Harry is welcome to stay, as we do not wish to push you away. Obviously the two of you have other places you could retreat to. I suppose you and Harry will need to share a room?"

"Yes mum. Actually, on the evening of our bonding, Professor McGonagall assigned us married student quarters at school and we moved out of the main Gryffindor tower."

Jean caught her breath and Neil shook his head and exploded.

"So you're sleeping together?"

"Yes dad. We're married. Not that it's your business, but we are taking our physical relationship slow. This was all quite sudden."

Neil just shook his head again and Jean took over.

"Alright, I suppose the two of you should get settled. Go ahead and show Harry upstairs please Hermione."

Hermione stood and hugged both her parents. Then they all walked out to the hall and she and Harry pulled their wands and levitated their trunks upstairs. The Grangers hadn't seen much magic and stood, watching, once again stunned. Hermione led Harry up the broad mahogany stairs to an upstairs hallway. She stopped at the third door on the right and opened the room. Harry followed her in and suppressed a smirk at the very girly room. The walls were lavender with a pink rose border. The room was quite large with a white iron double bed with a chenille spread. The window had fluttery lace curtains over window covering blinds. Opposite the bed stood an entire wall of white bookshelves with a desk built into the center of them. The room had hardwood floors, but was covered almost wall to wall by a large pastel rug with pink roses and a baby blue border. The far wall of the room had a large walk-in closet and by the door was a long, low dresser with a full mirror above. Between the two was a door that was cracked open and appeared to lead to a bathroom. Harry stood for a minute, taking it all in. He hadn't really thought what Hermione's room would be like, but he certainly wouldn't have guessed on what he found. She turned and saw him looking around and shook her head.

"I know, it's a princess room. Mum designed it when I was five. It was my birthday present. I loved it then, but I grew out of it. I was about to ask for an update when I received my Hogwarts letter and since then I haven't been here enough to make it worth the effort of changing it."

"It's, um, nice. I was just a bit surprised. I suppose I can see you at five in here. You were lucky to have parents who cared enough to give you something so nice."

"Oh Harry…"

Hermione turned to him and wrapped him in her arms, peppering his jaw with small kisses.

"Never again Harry. You never have to go back to that place. Now I get to spoil you and you can even spoil yourself. Have a few of the things you should have always had."

Harry smiled and kissed her, pulling back to smile and just stare at her beauty.

"Thanks love. We'll build a good life together. First job, destroy Voldemort."

"Hmm yes, nothing much to do there."

They both giggled and then Hermione suggested they get settled. Her closet actually had plenty of space and Harry started to unpack his muggle clothes. As he did, Hermione was reminded of the sad state of his clothing. She was so used to seeing him in school uniforms and robes, she had forgotten.

"Well Harry, I think one of the first things we need to is get you some more clothes. Something of your own. Then you can toss those rags and be rid of one more piece of the Dursleys."

"I suppose you're right. I'm used to them, but these clothes are sad. Definitely not appropriate for escorting my lovely young wife around."

Hermione smiled and kissed him. Soon Harry was responding and they found themselves standing in the closet snogging. They were so involved, they didn't hear Jean call them. The door was still open, so she came in, looking around.

"Hermione…Harry…"

Jean stopped when she reached the closet and couldn't keep from smiling. Hermione blushed as she and Harry separated.

"Hi mum, need something?"

"Just wondering what your plans are for the day? Your father suggested dinner out later. By the way, you have your own room. You don't have to hide in the closet."

"I know mum, we were just talking and then one thing led to another. Anyway, I think we should go out. Harry, what do you say we start your shopping and have dinner out? No time like the present."

"Sure love. Sounds good."

"Shopping?"

"Yes mum. Harry has no muggle clothes that aren't years old and hand me downs from his cousin. Now that he doesn't have to wear them anymore, I told him we should go shopping. Is that alright?"

"Oh yes, fine dear. I hadn't realized. I'll let your father know the plan. Also, I'm adjusting to this whole situation, but you know your father takes a while. I might suggest you refrain from being too affectionate with each other for a while. I know with young love, it's difficult, but please try."

"I understand mum. Thanks for being understanding."

Hermione and Harry settled a few more of their things. Harry also set Hedwig's cage on the dresser and then opened the window to let her fly for a while. Crookshanks was already settled on the bed, looking happy to be home. A few minutes later, they made their way downstairs to join the Grangers. Harry noticed when they got downstairs that Neil assessed him, apparently taking in the state of his clothing.

"Mum, dad, before we go, I think I'll step out and see if I can signal whoever is on guard. I'd like to let them know our plans. Where are we going, down to the Coventry mall?"

"Yes dear. I thought that Harry should be able to find most of what he needs there and we'd have a selection of food as well."

Hermione nodded and stepped out the door, casually examining some roses, while surreptitiously looking around.

"I wish I had someone to talk to about my plans…" she said casually to the air "…guess I'll have to go in the garage and look around."

Hermione went and punched the code in to open the garage door and stepped to the back where it was darker. She held her wand loose, waiting. A few seconds later, a woman with bright pink hair appeared in front of her.

"Wotcher Lady Potter. You wanted to talk?"

"Um yes…Miss?"

"No Miss. I'm Tonks. Nymphadora Tonks, but just call me Tonks. I'm on day duty today. Followed you from the station. Merlin, I hate muggle traffic. Much prefer apparating. So, what can I help you with Lady Potter?"

"First, it's Hermione. I'm not holding court. My parents, Harry and I are going to the mall to shop and have dinner. Coventry Mall. It's about twenty minutes south of here. We'll probably take mum's car. Dad hates parking the Land Rover in a garage. Is that alright?"

"Certainly. Although thank you for the warning. The house is warded now, but I'll call someone to come over and drive with me. When we are out in public, there's supposed to be two of us. By the way, that was smart what you did to tell me you wanted to talk, but maybe a signal or a whistle?"

Hermione whistled a brief tune, something her father taught her when she was young.

"How's that?"

"Very nice. Please tell Harry and your parents if they need to talk to us to whistle that and step in the garage. Keep the nosy neighbors away."

"Thanks Tonks. We'll be leaving in five."

Five minutes later, Jean backed out of the driveway and they were on their way to the mall. On the way, Hermione informed them how to get the attention of the Auror guard if they needed to talk. Harry nodded and squeezed her hand as he took in the scenery and familiarized himself with the neighborhood. Neil remained quiet, but Jean and Hermione talked about a bit about school and how her schoolwork was going. As they approached the mall, Jean looked in the mirror at Harry.

"So Harry, Hermione explained that you need to shop because your clothes are old hand me downs. You were raised by your aunt and uncle right? I guess times were hard."

Hermione looked at Harry warily. He didn't like to talk about the Dursleys much. He squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"It's alright Mione. I know I don't talk about the Dursleys much, but your parents deserve to know. We're family now. Jean, my aunt and uncle never asked to be my guardians. It was forced on them. If it had been up to my uncle, when I was put on their doorstep at a year old he would have shipped my off to an orphanage. My aunt insisted I stay out of a feeling of guilt and obligation to her dead sister, my mum. That obligation was only just enough for them to provide the basics for my existence. Almost anything they gave me was used or hand me down from their son Dudley, who is almost the same age as me. Unfortuately, Dudley is about three times my size. Aunt Petunia got good at figuring out how to shrink the clothes a bit. Then she'd cut the pants off or roll the sleeves and belt the pants on to make them work. Any time I needed something bought, she found the cheapest she could because Uncle Vernon would complain for days about spending anything on me."

"Oh my. And they were your only relatives? You were there until you were eleven, for ten years?"

"Yes, they are my only living relatives. And yes, ten long years. Hogwarts truly saved me. It was my first real home that I have any memory of. It's kind of strange that after Uncle Vernon complained about money so much that I'm wealthy. It's a good thing he never knew what I would be worth when I came of age."

Any further conversation was stalled by their arrival at the mall. Jean circled for a bit and found a parking space. They entered the mall and Harry looked around. He hadn't been to malls often. The couple of times he had, Petunia usually dragged him through quickly and was not happy about it. Hermione quickly took the lead and led him to a large department store. She and Jean soon were throwing things at Harry with a 'what do you think?' and a 'mmhmm, yes, try this on'. Harry just stood and held the growing stack of clothes. He turned to Neil, who had taken up a nearby chair and settled in for the wait. The two men locked eyes and Neil chuckled at him.

"Welcome to married life Harry. Just follow their lead. Especially if you don't know what you're doing."

Harry nodded and turned back around to take the next shirt Hermione brought to him. Soon he was sagging and the women took pity on him as they pushed him to a dressing room. Half the stack of clothes appeared to be doubles of other items, but in a different size. Since Harry hadn't know his sizes, the women had been guessing. They hadn't been far off and soon Harry was able to toss aside wrong sized items and decrease the stack a bit. Hermione and Jean had actually done quite well and he liked most of what they had selected. It seemed to take forever to try on everything, especially since new items kept sailing over the dressing room wall as new items were found. Eventually he demolished the wave of clothing and had whittled it down to a not unsubstantial stack of 'yes' items. In the end, he ended up with four pairs of jeans, three blue in different shades and a tight black pair that Hermione quite admired his bum in, five pairs of trousers, six dress shirts, a dozen t-shirts, a couple sweatshirts, three ties, two jumpers, a heavy jacket, one pair of dress shoes, two sets of pajamas, a robe, socks and underwear. Harry was surprised that they had found his entire wardrobe in one stop and was glad the shopping was over. The largesse set him back several thousand pounds, but he had changed plenty of galleons at Gringotts.

As they exited the department store, Neil and Jean offered to take the bags to the car while Harry and Hermione continued on. The two couples agreed to meet in an hour at an Indian restaurant the Grangers had liked in the past. Harry thought he was done, but Hermione insisted that they should look in some other stores to see if Harry found anything else he liked. He also needed a new pair of trainers, and that would require a shoe store. Realizing his day wasn't over yet, Harry just nodded and went along. Looking at his father-in-law, he saw Neil smirk as he waved goodbye on the way to the car. Hermione and Harry looked through a couple shoe stores before they found a pair of trainers he liked. He also picked up a pair of sandals for the summer and found it hard to believe that he now owned three new pairs of shoes. They browsed through a couple smaller stores and Harry picked up a few more items, including a blazer and a leather jacket. When Harry was finalizing the purchase of the jacket, Hermione wandered out of the store and he found her across the way looking in the window of a jewelry shop. He snuck up behind her and saw the piece that had caught her eye. It was a Chinese style silver hair comb with a peacock detail inlaid with abalone and opals. He could almost feel how much she like the piece. Still standing behind her, he hadn't announced himself as he stepped to the side and entered the store. Hermione saw him and darted after him.

"Harry, what are you doing?"

Despite her protests, he insisted on buying her the comb. The saleswoman also kindly provided a mirror so that Hermione could pull her hair back with the comb immediately as Harry watched and smiled. She really did like it, although she didn't want Harry to spoil her. She looked over and saw him grinning foolishly and realized how much he was enjoying himself. She smiled and kissed him, causing the saleswoman to beam at them. With that final purchase complete, they exited the store and made their way to the Indian restaurant. They entered and the host led them back to where the Grangers were waiting.

"So, shopping all done? Find your trainers?"

"Yes. And a couple other things."

"And I made the mistake of showing an interest in something at a jewelry store and Harry had to spoil me."

"Which I should be allowed if I wish."

Jean and Neil both admired the hair comb and chuckled at Hermione's mock dismay at his spoiling. Then the waitress showed up with a menu and everyone began deciding on what to eat. The food was all quite excellent and Harry enjoyed his time with the Grangers. They were both quite kind, even if Neil was obviously still reserved with him. When he briefly thought about what he would be doing if he had gone home to the Dursleys like usual, he shuddered and dropped the conversation he was engaged in. Hermione took hold of his arm and squeezed him.

"Harry love, you still with us?"

"Oh, sorry, yes Mione. Just thinking about the Dursleys and how happy I am now and how much different this night could have been."

"Don't think about it. Focus on now. You're done with that."

Harry smiled at her and leaned in to press his forehead to hers. Remembering that they had an audience, he refrained from kissing her. The Grangers sat across the table watching them in a scene that was actually more intimate than if they had been snogging. This young man who was now theirs had not had an easy life, but obviously he and Hermione made each other happy. Harry and Hermione separated and dinner continued happily. When the check came, both Neil and Harry reached for it.

"Harry, I know you can afford it, but let me tonight. Maybe we'll switch off in the future."

Harry nodded and smiled. Soon the bill was paid and they left the restaurant. On the drive home, they spotted the same Fiat behind them. Once they were home, Harry began unloading his new wardrobe while Hermione prepared a couple loads of laundry. While the laundry ran, they curled up on a couch and watched the telly. Once the laundry was done and all his new purchases were stored in the closet that Hermione insisted was now theirs, the young couple said goodnight and retired to bed. The night was warm, so Harry opted for just pajama bottoms. Hermione wore a light tank and shorts as they climbed into bed and cuddled up. They talked a bit about the day and kissed briefly, but soon the emotional, long day took its toll and they both fell into a sound sleep.


	4. At Home with the Grangers

**A/N: I've adjusted ages in here and will go back to the last and adjust as well. As several reviewers noted, I was off by a year. My apologies, math and I don't agree. I was and art major for a reason.**

Chapter 4 – At Home with the Grangers

The following morning, Harry was awake before Hermione and gently extracted himself from the bed. He went to the loo and took a quick shower before dressing in a simple outfit of jeans and a t-shirt. Hermione was still sleeping and he heard no one else up either, so he decided to treat her to breakfast. Making his way downstairs, he looked around at what was available and found scone mix, as well as eggs and plenty of fixings for omelets. He mixed up a batch of scones and soon had them in the oven. He was just starting to chop vegetables when Jean and Neil appeared.

"Good morning Harry. I see you cook."

"Yes Jean. My aunt and uncle had me do most of the cooking when I was home."

Jean scowled. "Well, can I help? You're looking a bit tired. A bit too much shopping yesterday perhaps?"

"Actually, I've been up for about forty minutes. I slept great, but I've been away from Hermione for too long. I'll be glad when she's awake. I've got this covered, but can you make tea?"

"That _I_ can do." Neil chimed in.

Harry nodded and grew quiet as he finished his omelet prep while Jean settled on a stool to watch. Just as Harry was pulling the scones out and getting ready to start cooking the omelets, Hermione showed up. She was dressed simply in capris and a loose blouse. Her hair was still untamed and she wasn't very awake. She made her way straight to Harry and embraced him.

"Morning love. You must have been up for a while."

"I wanted to make you breakfast. It's almost done."

Hermione smiled and pulled back and he gave her a quick peck. She kept one arm around him while he started cooking the eggs. They remained connected for the rest of the breakfast prep while Neil and Jean sat and chatted with them. The Grangers were also carefully observing the demeanor of the young couple. By the time Harry had the omelets ready and started to prepare plates, Hermione had been wrapped around him for fifteen minutes and they were both looking decidedly more alert. As they took their plates to the table, Jean spoke up.

"Well, I have to say that was interesting. You told us about your connection and needing to remain together, but I hadn't fully realized it until what I just watched. Harry, you were up and away from Hermione for what, 40 or 45 minutes?"

Harry nodded.

"Well, when Hermione showed up you were both looking peaked. Almost like you may be coming down with something. Now you're both fine again. It's quite remarkable."

"That's what a soul bond is mum."

Neil didn't say anything, but he also hadn't touched his food. He just sat staring at the young couple. Jean brought him out of his thoughts.

"Eat while it's hot dear. It's quite good."

Neil nodded and started to eat. After his second bite, he set his fork down.

"You can cook!"

Everyone laughed and the mood at the table lightened as they discussed the day. They decided to take Harry on a bit of a tour of the neighborhood after breakfast. Neil and Jean had a lunch with friends scheduled and invited Hermione and Harry along, but they declined. Hermione didn't think she was ready to try to put on an act with her parents' friends. Once breakfast was finished, Jean insisted on cleaning up since Harry had cooked. She noticed that Harry looked a bit surprised, but then he and Hermione settled and sat, talking with her parents while they cleaned up.

"Harry, can I ask you something? About the family you used to live with?"

"Sure Jean."

"You said you did a lot of cooking and you seemed ready to jump in with the cleanup as well. Was that normal there?"

"Um, yeah. I did most the cooking, cleaning and gardening whenever I was home and wasn't in school."

"Even when you were younger? Didn't you ever play, go out with friends? Sorry, I shouldn't pry, I just wonder. I'm a mum."

"It's fine. Like I said yesterday, we're family now. Hermione already knows and you deserve to. I was left on the doorstep at a year old. I don't remember anything until I was about four maybe. I started with small chores then. I was doing most the cleaning by the time I was five. I started cooking around seven. I would say by the time I was eight I was doing most everything, at least when I wasn't in school. I did get to play when my chores and work were done. I usually got old toys Dudley didn't want or things he had broken. You should probably know too that I didn't have a bedroom of my own until I came back from Hogwarts. Until I was eleven, I slept in a cupboard under the stairs. It didn't have room for much more than a small bed and a chest. As for friends, I didn't really have any. My cousin was a bully and was jealous of any attention he didn't get. Anyone who tried to be nice to me got beat up. When he wasn't pounding on me that is. Everyone in school realized to stay away from the strange Potter boy or Dudley would hurt them. It didn't help when I would have strange things happen thanks to my accidental magic. Like when a girl got pushed on the playground and almost fell off the slide. I was standing right there and all of a sudden she stopped in midair and just bounced down lightly. I was the only one around so everyone figured I did something. I was basically labeled a freak. That's why when I got to Hogwarts and found friends it was so great for me. Now I've found love as well."

Hermione reached to him and he grabbed her arm. They sat staring at each other and didn't realize the Grangers had stopped doing the dishes and were just staring at Harry. Jean had tears in her eyes. She set the plate she was holding down and came around the island to embrace Harry, not saying anything. He remained a bit stiff for a minute and then relaxed and let her hug him. When she pulled back, she shook her head.

"I'm glad you and Hermione have each other Harry. You deserve to be happy. This is difficult for all of us, but I'm glad you're here and are never going back to those people. I don't know what Dumbledore was thinking, leaving you there."

"I needed the blood protection. And he was afraid if I was adopted into a wizarding family, I would grow up feeling special and coddled. He was hoping I would have a normal life. I don't think I was ever meant for normal though."

Jean shook her head and then went back to help Neil finish with the dishes. Once the dishes were done, Hermione went out to tell the Aurors the plan for the day. They left shortly after and began the tour of the neighborhood. Harry got to see Hermione's primary school, her favorite library, a small botanic garden, her father's favorite pub and several shops. The town where the Grangers lived was good sized, but still small enough that they were known around town. They were stopped at several points by acquaintances and everyone was quite happy to meet Hermione's 'boyfriend'. She and Harry had reinstated their glamour charms, so that the large diamond ring she wore wouldn't garner attention. Their last stop was at the local grocery to pick up a few things before they headed home shortly before noon. Neil and Jean left immediately after for their lunch with friends, while Harry and Hermione fixed sandwiches and took them to the backyard patio table to enjoy the fine weather.

"So love, what do you think of my parents and home so far? I know dad was a bit rough on you at first."

"Your parents are great Mione. Your dad's just protective. I completely understand. You're very special. And I know you are very capable, but your men still want to protect you. I think they're dealing with it well. We didn't have to call in McGonagall for backup. This is only the second day of my summer and it's already the best one I remember. Voldemort may be back, but I'm in love and married to my dream girl and it's hard to think right now that we've got a war starting."

"I know what you mean Harry. I've been thinking about that. I don't know why Voldemort is focused on you, but you're important to him. Something tells me that we're going to have to fight him and we need to prepare. For once, I'm not sure where to start. Do we just do our homework, hang out and wait until school starts again and talk to Dumbledore? I don't think I can do that. I suppose we need defense. We may even need to study some dark arts, simply to understand what he uses. Have you thought about it at all love?"

Harry sighed. "Yes. How can I not? Voldemort has his eye on me for some reason and I think I will have to fight him. Now that we're bonded, that means you'll have to fight him as well, even though I hate to admit it. I guess defense is a good starting point. I don't think we should wait for school. Honestly, this place is great, but I'm used to being busy during the summer. We have our homework, but it's not that bad. It will maybe take a week. Maybe we should pick up some basic defense books."

"I like that idea. I'd also like to see if we can find any books on soul bonds. We're doing well, but I'd feel better understanding more."

"Alright, well sounds like a trip to Diagon Alley is in order. I guess no time like the present."

They finished their lunch and went inside to cleanup. While Hermione was writing a note for her parents, Harry put some chicken in a pan and made a marinade. Covering the pan, he set it in the fridge. Unsure how best to get to Diagon Alley, they decided to step out front and whistle for an Auror. Then they went in the garage and waited. A short, old wizard joined them shortly.

"Good afternoon, Lord and Lady Potter. Dedalus Diggle at your service. What can I help you with?"

"Hello Mr. Diggle. We prefer Harry and Hermione. We were wondering if someone could possibly side-along apparate us to the Leaky? We need to go shopping in Diagon Alley."

"Oh certainly. Let me just put in a call so someone else can meet us there."

The small Auror pulled out a mirror and began speaking into it. Once he had finished his arrangements, Hermione locked the house and closed the garage door so they wouldn't be seen. Then the Auror took them each by an arm and apparated them to the Leaky Cauldron. Once they were there, a tall, lanky wizard approached them.

"Hello Dade. Hello my lord and lady. I'm Frank Davis, I'll be joining Dade shadowing you while you shop. Diagon should be fairly secure, but we've been told to exercise all caution with you two."

"Thanks Frank. And please, its Harry and Hermione. Can you please pass the word to any other Aurors who will be around us? We don't use our titles on a daily basis."

"Aye, sure thing."

Hermione led the way to the back of the Leaky and soon they were in Diagon Alley. Their first stop was to pick up some parchment and ink, as both of them were running low. Next, they made their way to Flourish and Blotts. After a half hour, they had picked out several texts on Defense Against the Dark Arts and one book on dueling. As they perused the selections, Hermione kept a light hold on Harry and could tell he was getting bored quickly. She still wanted to find something on soul bonds, but wasn't sure where to start. She overheard another customer ask for books on marriages and the clerk directed her to the relationship section. Hermione decided that would be a good place to start. She and Harry both looked through the small selection and found an old book toward the bottom. The printing was nearly sixty years previous and it was quite thin, but it seemed to be the only printing having anything to do with soul bonds. They added it to their basket and made their way to check out. After Flourish and Blotts, Hermione had to make a quick stop in the apothecary and Harry was already looking shopped out.

"Tell you what Harry. Why don't you go find us a seat at Fortescue's? I'll join you in a couple."

Harry hesitated. "I don't know that we should separate."

"I'll be right across the street. We have two Aurors with us."

Harry nodded. He really had had enough shopping. He had done more of it in the last two days than his entire life previously. He made his way across the street and staked a claim to the last outside table at the ice cream parlor. He tried to ignore the stares and whispers, but they had been fairly constant since they arrived at the Leaky. He hated being recognized. There was something to be said for shopping among muggles. He only had to wait a few minutes and Hermione was back. They decided on a butterscotch deluxe sundae and Harry went to get it while Hermione held the table. When he returned, they linked their left hands while using their right hands to eat their shared treat. They didn't talk much, but enjoyed the time together, exchanged smiles and winks. Once they were finished, they made their way back to the Leaky. Dade and Frank reappeared at their sides and Dade apparated them back to Hermione's house. When they arrived, they found Jean pruning the rose bushes and Neil puttering in the garage. Jean looked up and smiled at them and their guard.

"Oh good, you're back. I know you left a note, but I was a bit worried. And I assume you sir are one of the Aurors? Thank you for keeping us safe."

"Yes Mrs. Granger. Dedalus Diggle at your service and you are most welcome. We cannot have the Lord and Lady of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter in danger. Especially considering how much young Harry has already done to aid in the fight against the Dark Lord."

Neil had come out of the garage and stood behind them. He looked over at Jean and they traded a look, surprised at the deference the Auror showed. Dedalus tipped his hat and stepped away. Then he stepped in the garage to disillusion himself.

"So dear, how did your errands go? All done?"

"Yes mum. Harry and I needed a few study supplies and a couple books. We figured we'd put our time to good use."

"Sounds good dear. I noticed the chicken marinating. It looks like you have dinner planned. Or is it Harry? Anyway, you go ahead with your studying or whatever. I'm just going to finish the last couple of bushes."

"Actually Jean, dinner is my plan. I'm marinating the chicken in teriyaki sauce and was going to pair it with rice and stir fry vegetables if that sounds alright?"

Jean shook her head. "Fine Harry. I think you'll find we're not picky around here. I must say, I could get used to having a chef around."

Hermione and Harry laughed and left Jean to her rose bushes. Once they were inside, they decided to take their studying to the back garden since the day was so nice. They deposited their purchases upstairs and collected their assigned summer homework assignments. Soon they were settled in the back. Harry decided to get his potions essay out of the way, while Hermione was working on five chapters of Charms reading. He had leaned back against a tree, while Hermione used his lap as a pillow. The day was pleasantly warm and the tree provided perfect shade. Harry took a break for a minute and closed his eyes, breathing the warm summer breeze and feeling mightily content. Inside the house, Jean had finished her rose pruning and was standing in the kitchen washing, looking out the window at the young couple studying together. Neil came up behind her and nuzzled her neck, looking out to see what had caught her attention.

"Look at that. They certainly look content."

"Mmhmm. They are awfully sweet together."

"I agree. Harry seems like a good lad. He's been through a lot and seems appreciative of what he has. I don't dislike him. If he wasn't inadvertently married to my fifteen year old daughter I'd be fine with him."

Jean laughed and turned around to lean into her husband. Putting her arms around his neck, she pulled his head down for a kiss.

"Do you know how cute you are when you get all overprotective?"

Neill just shook his head and kissed his wife, trying to keep thoughts of his daughter and her husband from his mind.

Meanwhile, Harry continued working on his potions essay, but soon got to a point where he seemed blocked. He was listing the components and properties of a paralyzing potion, but everything seemed to have fled his brain. Hermione looked up from her reading and smiled at him.

"Having trouble with the paralyzing potion?"

"What? Yes. How?"

"I don't know. Lucky guess. It was one of the last potions we worked on in class. Want me to take a look at what you have?"

"That would be great, thanks. I have four ingredients, but it takes nine total so I'm not even halfway. Bloody complex potion."

Hermione took his parchment and looked it over. She gave him a couple suggestions and moved him past the step where he was stuck. It would have been helpful if he could use some memory trick, like putting the ingredients in alphabetical order, but potions didn't work that way. They needed ingredients added in specific orders, in precise quantities and at specific intervals. Talking with Hermione seemed to help him past his block and the rest of the potion details came much easier. Soon he had most of the essay done and set it aside to take a break before writing his summary. Hermione saw him lean his head back and set her book aside. She got up and moved to straddle his lap, leaning in to kiss him. His eyes fluttered open as he grinned and pulled her closer. Soon they were snogging and groping and he was losing control. After a few minutes, he pulled back and grinned.

"Love, I'm fine with where this is going, but maybe not in the backyard where your parents can walk out at any time."

Hermione giggled and nodded, leaning her head on his shoulder and settling there. Harry leaned sideways and pulled her with him as they settled on the grass and both fell asleep. They stayed that way for another hour when they were awakened by a gentle shake. Harry blinked and opened his eyes to see a smirking Neil Granger.

"You two look comfortable, but it's going to be dinner time soon. How were you planning on cooking the chicken?"

Harry yawned and he and Hermione sat up. He stood and helped her up and then went with Neil to see how to start his grill. Hermione and Jean pitched in to help with the rice and vegetables and before long they had dinner ready. Over dinner, Neil brought up the subject of the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

"So Harry, we heard a bit about this competition you were involved in, can you tell us more?"

Harry stole a quick glance at Hermione and she set her fork down and nodded.

"Go ahead Harry. Mum and dad deserve to know it all."

Harry nodded and gradually through dinner began to detail them on the start of the tournament, the Goblet of Fire and each task. Jean and Neil blanched as he talked about facing a dragon and stealing one of her eggs, but it was nothing compared to their reaction when he told them about the second task.

"Bloody hell! Your headmaster knocked my daughter out and sent her to the bottom of a lake to be the prize for some Bulgarian wizard to rescue?"

"I was never in any danger dad. The merpeople were looking out for us. And we were well below the level the grindylows swim at. I don't even remember being in the lake."

"Right, well remind me to thank the merpeople sometime. Do they speak English?"

"The chieftaness speaks some. Dumbledore can translate Mermish."

Neil just rolled his eyes.

"Alright, so tell me about this Bulgarian bloke who wanted you for his prize?"

Hermione sighed. "His name is Viktor Krum. He didn't choose me for his prize. At least not intentionally. He was the champion from Durmstrang. For some reason he took a liking to me. He's a Bulgarian Quidditch champion. He could have any witch he wants. He asked me to the Yule Ball. That's the dance we had before Christmas break that I got the dress for. Anyway, I didn't give him an answer for a week. I was hoping Harry would get over his nerves and ask me, or even Ron. But the two of them seemed to be hit by a tongue tied spell. So eventually I said yes to Viktor. He was a good dancer and we had a nice evening. And yes, I kissed him briefly at the end, but there was no fire there. At least not for me. He apparently had other ideas. He kept pursuing me and honestly I allowed it, because I was hoping it would make certain others (glare at Harry) jealous. I know, it was dumb. I shouldn't have encourage him. So he thought more of our relationship than I realized, which is why I was chosen for him. Once he pulled me out of the lake and I learned about how he felt, I had to set him straight. That was hard."

Neil just shook his head and smiled. "Well I always knew you'd be a heartbreaker. Told your mum that the day you were born. I planned on locking you in the house when you got older. Never knew you'd end up at a school in the highlands of Scotland where I can't even visit. Anyway, Harry, please continue. You said there were three tasks?"

Harry continued, detailing the maze and the end of the competition. They had finished eating and stayed at the table as Harry went into greater detail about what happened in the graveyard and after with Dumbledore uncovering the impostor Moody. Harry was glad that he wasn't trying to eat anymore. As it was, the food already in his stomach was rolling. Hermione had moved her chair as close as possible and had her arms around him as he relived one of the worst days of his life. When he got to the end of his story, something in him snapped and all of a sudden Harry found himself doubled over, sobbing. He slipped off the chair sideways as Hermione lowered him to the floor. She wrapped herself around him and let him purge himself. As he did, he retched a little and then got control of himself. Hermione quickly drew her wand and quietly vanished the small bit of mess. Neil and Jean had come around the table and were standing, unsure what to do. Jean herself was crying on her husband's shoulder as her heart ached for her daughter's young man. After a while Harry settled and Hermione helped him off the floor and led him to the den. Neil came around and poured himself a scotch, then offered Harry a glass. He took it and downed it in one choking swallow.

"Thanks Neil. I'm sorry I lost it on you."

"Nonsense Harry. I should have realized how hard it would be. I'm the one that should apologize. I shouldn't have brought that up at dinner. I'm glad I know, but I wish I could do something for you."

"I haven't cried like that since the night Hermione was petrified. I guess I'm not completely over it. I just wish I could have done something for Cedric. He died so quick and the green flash is the same I remember from when my mum was killed. I was a baby, but I have one memory of a flash of green and a woman screaming. I didn't know what the memory was until I started at Hogwarts and learned about the killing curse."

Harry shivered and Neil refilled his glass. This time Harry sipped it and felt himself start to relax. Then he realized that they had left everything in the dining room.

"Oh, we never cleared from dinner. I should go do the dishes…"

Jean frowned. "You just stay put young man! I'll manage the dishes in a few. Honestly. In this house you are not expected to be a slave. We can all take turns. Right now you just cuddle Hermione and settle yourself."

Harry nodded and leaned back as he sipped the scotch. It was the first he had had, but he liked it. It was helping to uncoil the knot in his stomach. Neil changed the subject to football and Harry was glad that his muggle upbringing allowed him to understand a bit. While they discussed sports, Hermione and her mum went to clean up from dinner. A while later Hermione returned and noticed that Harry was looking tired.

"You look worn out love."

"Yes, I guess my emotions did me in tonight. I think we'd should turn in early."

They said goodnight to both her parents and Jean gave Harry a long hug. Neil squeezed Harry's shoulder and he felt a bit of acceptance for the first time from Hermione's father. They made their way upstairs and Harry sank onto the bed, rubbing his face. Hermione crossed the room, leaned over and began to kiss him. Harry indulged her willingly and soon found himself snogging her intently. Then she overbalanced and tumbled into the bed. He laughed and turned over to pounce on her. As they continued groping, clothes started flying and Hermione moaned as Harry palmed her breast. Pulling himself around, Harry dug around and found a wand, aiming it at the door and casting privacy and silencing charms. Hermione grinned at him as he resumed his work on her. As he tweaked her nipples, she began to work on his last item of clothing and yanked his trunks off. Finally he was free and he groaned as his cock sprang loose. She started working him and immediately set the perfect rhythm.

"Bloody hell love. You are a quick study…tha…s…perfect…Merlin."

He reached up and pulled her down to kiss her again as his hips began thrusting into her hand. She still had her knickers on and he quickly worked them down as she kicked them off the last of the way. He was about to start working on her when she pulled back and focused on her own hand work. He was leaking more and she seemed intrigued to watch the small amount of fluid dribbling from his head. Then she did something shocking as she ducked her head down and licked the pre-cum off. Harry's eyes shot open and he almost came at the feeling of that quick swipe from her tongue. She pulled back and seemed to be analyzing his taste.

"Not bad. A bit salty."

Harry groaned and Hermione grinned as she ducked her head back down and licked him again. This time she licked the entire length of his shaft and Harry thought he might come at any point. Then she took him full in her mouth, managing about half of him as she sucked him hard.

"Damn…so good…coming..."

Hermione lightly squeezed his bollocks and he finally couldn't hold back as he shot his load into the back of her throat. She choked just a bit, but then began swallowing as she sucked him again. When he finally finished, she released him with a pop and grinned at him as his eyes fluttered open.

"How did I do love?"

"Really? I think I just showed you how well you did. You keep amazing me. I didn't want to let loose in you. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It wasn't bad. I liked watching you enjoy it."

"Well, your turn now."

Harry sat up and pushed her back as he pressed against her, working kisses from her ear down her neck. He was hard again and perilously close to entering her, so he worked his kisses down lower. He felt grateful to be where he was and was willing to wait until she was ready for that final step. He began to suckle one nipple while one hand worked the other side and his other hand dipped down lower. He began to probe her and her moans increased. Working further down, he kissed a freckle on her left side and then swirled his tongue in her belly button as he kissed down her hip and to her thigh. She was squirming badly under him, but he hadn't reached her center yet. Gradually he worked his way up her thigh and then reached to part her lips as his tongue dipped in, exploring. He found the hard nub that she directed him to before and flicked it with his tongue.

"Oh godssss…don't…stop…"

Harry licked down to her dripping sex and pushed his tongue in to taste her as she thrust her hips into his face. He continued a long path, licking up and down from her clit to her sex as she bucked and squirmed and begged. Then he decided to try something as he sucked on her nub. That was the last thing she needed as she screamed his name and the hands running through his hair clutched at him. He sucked harder and she screamed again as he probed her with two fingers, stroking her through her orgasm. Her breathing was starting to regulate when he reached up to tweak her nipple and she came again. Finally she seemed to have had enough as he tried to suck her again and she pulled his head back.

"Enough…can't take…no more."

Her head was thrown back with her hair everywhere as she panted. He crawled up her and kissed the corner of her mouth as her climax settled.

"My Mione. So beautiful. I love watching you come."

"That was bloody amazing Harry. I didn't think I would ever be like this."

"We're good for each other."

He kissed her a bit more as his cock gradually softened and they drifted off to sleep. Once again, the nightmares left him as he wrapped himself around her and slept soundly through the night. The next morning Harry woke and looked over to see Hermione just waking up and looking at him. She cast breath freshening spells and then leaned in to kiss him. Harry pulled back to just stare at her.

"Thanks love for last night. I didn't expect you to be ready for anything like that. When you first licked me I almost came right then."

"Honestly Harry, if you had asked me before last night I wouldn't have been able to tell you if I could do that, but in the moment it just seemed right. After we bonded the idea of our physical relationship scared me a bit. Not that I didn't want it, but the expectations were a bit scary. Now it just seems easy. I guess it's part of our bond. And you're so gentle and loving it makes me want to pleasure you."

"Well you certainly did that. I'm glad we're learning together. I couldn't imagine this with anyone else. Some of the guys at school would think I'm strange, but I can't understand how they can jump around between different witches."

"I agree Harry. But then we're unique. They will never know what it's like to soul bond."

Harry smiled and pulled her closer. Eventually Hermione took the first shower while Harry catnapped and then followed. By the time they made it downstairs, Jean was already working on tea. They had a simple breakfast with the Grangers before they had to leave for their dental practice. Harry and Hermione spent the day relaxing, studying and talking. Harry finished the last of his potions essay and moved onto the Charms reading that Hermione had done the previous day. He had expected it to take a while, but the reading seemed easy and almost familiar. After a couple hours, they decided to take a break and watched a silly game show on the telly while they cuddled on the couch. Then they had lunch, studied a bit more and then decided to weed Jean's vegetable garden. Harry enjoyed working alongside Hermione and the physical work was a nice reprieve from studying. Also, the view of Hermione in tight shorts when she bent to pull weeds was quite delightful.

Their first full week at the Grangers continued in much the same pattern. They spent a lot of time studying, but also took time to relax and even do a few chores, which the Grangers were always appreciative of. Harry found it quite unusual to be complimented for doing small things. By the time they prepared lunch on Thursday, they had each finished their assignments for the summer and decided to start studying some of their defense books. On Thursday night when Neil arrived home, they asked him for some help building a couple dummies to practice basic spells on. Neil took them to the garage and moved the cars out as he setup his power tools and they spent the time before dinner beginning work on a couple different dummies. Neil even had the brilliant idea of using an ancient punching bag that he had stored in the attic for years as the body for one. Another was built out of wood scraps with some pipe. They still had a bit of work left to do when it was time for dinner, but Neil had shown them enough that they could finish on their own. On Friday morning, after the Grangers left for the practice, Harry and Hermione finished work on the dummies and then set up practice drills within the privacy of the garage. By the end of the day they both had begun disarming and reducto spells and both dummies were sporting singe marks and in need of repairs. When the Grangers arrived home, they both looked at the dummies and shook their heads.

"Remind us not to make the two of you angry."

Hermione laughed. She knew she and Harry were just beginning and still had a long way to go to improve. That night a storm was expected and they circled the house, making sure to bring in potted plants and secure hoses and other loose items, as the weatherman had recommended. By the time they all went to sleep, the wind was howling and the rain had started pelting. Hermione had never been fond of storms and happily cuddled herself tightly against Harry. They had spent a couple nights previously pleasuring each other, but this night she only needed his arms and Harry was happy to oblige. When they woke the next morning, the storm had blown itself out and they were presented with a brilliant, sunny Saturday. After breakfast, Harry went to the backyard with Neil to help clean up some debris. The vegetable garden had taken a severe beating, but Neil thought it would recover. Quite a bit of debris had landed in the yard, including a number of large branches and a neighbor's patio umbrella. As they cleaned, Neil turned to talk to Harry. He had a large stick in his hand and Harry acted instinctively as he flinched and ducked away from Neil. Initially puzzled, the older man then looked at the large stick in his hand and realized the reason for Harry's fear. He dropped it immediately and looked at the sheepish young man.

"Damn Harry. I'm sorry. I guess I triggered a memory."

"Sorry Neil. I just reacted. Um, my uncle used to take a switch to me whenever I misbehaved or didn't do something right."

"Bloody hell. I need to have a talk with Dumbledore about his choice of guardians for his charges. I don't give a bloody fuck what kind of magic that place provided."

Harry shrugged and turned back to his task. Neil realized that he wanted to drop the topic and decided to leave it be. They spent another half hour cleaning up the yard and then Harry went to find Hermione and see what her plans were for the day.


	5. Summertime

Chapter 5 – Summertime

Later that day, the Grangers, Harry and Hermione were heading out to a local art show when Neil received a call from the wife of a friend in Leeds. His friend had been involved in an accident and he left immediately to head north, leaving the others to attend without him. The art show was interesting and took most of the morning and early afternoon. They returned home and were relaxing when Harry decided to spring his surprise. Walking into the living room where Hermione was reading, he leaned over and kissed her forehead. She smiled and put her book down to look at him.

"Mione love, I have a surprise for you. Time to get ready because I'm taking you on a date. Already arranged everything with the Aurors."

"Ooh! Where are we going?"

"I said it was a surprise."

She made a show of mock pouting that was adorable and Harry laughed at her as he helped pull her off the couch. She kissed him thoroughly and then turned to head upstairs. Halfway up, she turned around.

"What should I wear? Formal? Casual?"

"Casual love. This is what I'm wearing."

Hermione let her eyes wander as she openly admired. Harry was wearing her favorite pair of tight black jeans and a red t-shirt that showed his lightly toned Quidditch muscles nicely. Nodding, she turned back around and continued upstairs. Harry meanwhile went to fill Jean in on the plans. She was in her small studio off the kitchen, working on a watercolor.

"Hi Jean. I told you earlier we had plans. Well, actually I had plans. It's a surprise for Hermione. We'll be leaving shortly. The Aurors will be apparating and escorting us."

"Alright Harry, be careful and have fun. Care to tell me the surprise?"

"I managed to purchase VIP tickets to see the Weird Sisters. They've booked a warehouse in downtown London. Half the block is being treated with muggle repelling charms in preparation."

"Ah, so would that explain your mysterious owl message that you wouldn't tell Hermione about when she got miffed?"

"Maybe. I swear, it's too hard to surprise her."

Jean just laughed and nodded. Harry went back to the living room to wait for Hermione. She came down a short while later and Harry goggled. She was wearing dark blue jeans and a short sleeve shirt with long flowing lace over the sleeves. Her hair was pulled back with the comb he purchased her and she had done something to tame it into ringlets. She was wearing a touch of makeup and looked gorgeous. She noticed his appreciative look and smiled as she reached the bottom of the stairs. He crossed over to her and took her in his arms.

"You look amazing love. I don't think I deserve to be seen with you."

She frowned at him and swatted his chest as he leaned in to kiss her. The kiss became more than he planned and he had to exert his willpower to pull back.

"Guess I should stop that or we'll be late."

They stepped into the garage and opened the door. It was getting dark out, but they stayed in the back where they couldn't be seen. A minute later, Frank appeared next to them. With a wink at Harry, he took them each by an arm and apparated them away. They landed neatly in the VIP apparition room of the concert location. Frank turned and looked at Harry while Hermione surveyed their surrounding and tried to assess where they were.

"Alright Harry, I'm going to mingle around and keep an eye on things. There are also Aurors outside for the overall event. Something this big in muggle London always has tight security. Send up a signal with your wand if you need me. You may not see me, but I won't be far."

"Thanks Frank for all your help."

Harry took Hermione by an arm and led her out to a bar and lounge where those with VIP tickets were waiting. The room may once have been a storage area on the back of the warehouse, but now it was draped in dark blue velvet and lit with a variety of colored lights as low music played, increasing the ambiance. The tickets had been quite expensive, but perks like this lounge and the food after made it worth it. He pulled Hermione to him and gave her a quick peck. Then he turned her to the bar, where a large picture of the Weird Sisters hung above. Her eyes got huge.

"Harry! Are we at a Weird Sisters concert?"

Harry grinned and was rewarded by an enthusiastic kiss.

"I figured since this is our first real date we should do something memorable. I should have taken you out sooner."

"You know I don't mind. We've been out before, not really a date, but I don't need anything official."

"Maybe not, but you deserve it. So, we are here for the concert. After, this lounge will be set up with a buffet for late dinner. VIPs only, which is us. I'm told the tickets were limited to 100. We should meet the band then too."

Hermione grinned and started kissing him again. Soon they devolved into a full snog that elicited a couple whistles, causing them to pull apart. They went to the bar and order a couple fancy drinks, both of which were smoking. They wandered and talked with a few people, including Hannah Abbott and her cousin Rachel. The Greengrass sisters from Slytherin were also in attendance, but they passed them with barely a nod. Then they saw Draco Malfoy and steered wide as he sneered at them from across the room. The average age in the room was around nineteen and the majority were wealthy purebloods. Hermione was a bit disconcerted, realizing she was probably the only muggleborn in the room. They were definitely mixing with the elite. Then she remembered that she and her husband were probably the richest people in the place, or at least in the top percentage. That thought helped her to settle as she clung to Harry and sipped her drink. Soon the lights flickered and changed and one wall of the blue velvet curtains separated. Several ushers stepped forward to scan wands for identification and show the VIPs to their seats. Harry was happy when they were led in the opposite direction of Malfoy. The seats he had purchased were in the first tier, suspended directly above the main floor. They were absolutely perfect, giving them an elevated view set back just enough from the stage for a bit of perspective. Their seating area was small and much less crowded than below. They sat down and finished their drinks. Almost immediately an usher arrived to see if they wanted something else. Harry handed her a good handful of galleons and ordered another round. The tip he gave the usher assured that they would be well looked after for the evening.

Twenty minutes after they were seated, the opening act came out and everyone screamed when it turned out to be the Hobgoblins. They weren't as big as the Weird Sisters, but were still a well-known band in the wizarding world. They set the mood perfectly as they wailed and rocked the stage. Harry and Hermione were on their feet, no longer using their seats and enjoying every minute. When they hit their third song and slowed it down for a ballad, Harry happily took his wife in his arms and slowly danced with her. Then the fourth and last song of the opening act picked the mood right back up. After the Hobgoblins left, the stage went black and the only lights in the audience were blue as everyone looked around, barely able to see as they waited for the Weird Sisters to arrive. After a few minutes of murmurings from the crowd, all of a sudden the lights on stage flashed on at the exact moment that the two guitars and the bagpipes started. The entire band was right at the front of the stage and immediately kicked off with one of their loudest songs as the crowd roared to life. For the next hour and twenty minutes, the Weird Sisters put on a pulse shattering, amazing show. They ended with two encores as the crowd sent sparks in the air with their wands. Harry wondered briefly about underage magic, but figured with the amount of people in the building it would probably be impossible to pin a single spell to any one person. He thought about sending up sparks as well, but then decided that it may alert Frank and desisted. When the show was finally over, the usher was back at their side and escorted them back to the lounge.

Harry separated from Hermione briefly while they both used the loo. He was at first hesitant to let her out of his sight, but he knew she was fine. Not long after the concert ended, the buffet started to be set up. Harry and Hermione each got a third drink and were feeling quite relaxed. While they waited to eat, they visited the merch table and each bought Weird Sisters t-shirts. The food was all quite excellent and they enjoyed sitting with Hannah and Rachel. Hannah was Hufflepuff and neither knew her well, but they enjoyed getting to know her better. Rachel was American and visiting from the States. Halfway through their meal, the band arrived and everyone cheered and applauded. The guys were all nice and slowly made their way around the room to talk to the different VIPs. When they reached Harry, Myron stopped and realized who Harry was. All the band immediately gathered around and Harry proudly introduced his wife. Then he made sure to also introduce Hannah and Rachel. The band then graciously pulled out their wands and signed everyone's t-shirts before moving on to the next table. After the band left, Harry went and gathered cake for himself and Hermione. They finished their drinks and dessert as the VIP crowd gradually started to disperse. Harry looked over to one side and saw Frank. A brief wave brought the Auror to their table. They said good night to the Abbott cousins and Frank took them to apparate them home. They arrived late, but Jean was still awake watching an old movie on the telly. She looked up and smiled when they came in.

"Hello you two. Looks like you had fun."

"Yes mum. Harry spoiled me. VIP tickets to the Weird Sisters! And we had a buffet after. The band even came around we got our shirts signed!"

Hermione waved her shirt at her mum and Jean chuckled. It was good to see a flash of normal teenage girl in her daughter. She was flushed and quite happy. They'd obviously had a few drinks as well. Harry was grinning from ear to ear and had his hand resting on her bum. The two of them really did deserve a nice night out relaxing like a normal couple.

"Well, I'm glad you two had fun. My commercial is almost over now though, sorry."

Hermione laughed as her mum turned back to her movie. She took Harry by the hand and led him up to their bedroom. Once they were there, she began kissing him hungrily. Just as he started to fondle her, she pulled back.

"I'm going to the loo. You go ahead and get comfortable Harry."

Harry nodded and watched her bum wiggle as she stopped in the closet and went to the loo. She looked over her shoulder and winked at him and he felt himself twitch as his already tight jeans tightened more. He quickly stripped down to his trunks and found a pair of sweatpants. He laid back on the bed and waited for Hermione as he thought about how well the evening had gone. Then his thoughts were interrupted when Hermione came out of the bathroom. She was wearing nothing but lacy pink knickers and a tight white tank top. Harry's eyes devoured her as he sat up on the bed. She crossed the room and took a wand from the nightstand to cast the charms on the room. Then she crawled over on top of Harry and began to nibble his ear. Soon their tongues were entwined as his hands slid under the lace and cupped her bum. His cock hardened completely and he groaned as she ground herself down on him. Then she sat up, straddling him as she slowly removed his sweat pants. She looked at his trunks and grinned wickedly.

"Those look a bit tight love. Aren't you uncomfortable?"

"Why don't you do something to help me out then?" Harry growled.

Harry sat up suddenly and his mouth was on her as he ripped her tank top off and began to fondle her breasts. Hermione loved it when he played with her and she made up her mind completely as she pulled back, panting.

"Harry love, I want you tonight. All the way. Make love to me. Please."

Harry's eyes shot open as he suppressed a groan that started from between his legs.

"Really? You're ready?"

"Yes. You remember a week ago when we went to Diagon and I stopped at the apothecary? I picked up a six month supply of the Potion. I started it so that I would be prepared when the time was right. You've been patient with me, but I don't want to wait any longer."

Harry cupped her face and smiled at her.

"I love you so much Mione. We'll take this slow. I want this to be as special as possible."

He kissed her slowly, letting his tongue explore her as he rolled them to the side as they lay down together. He began to trace kisses all over her as a hand worked into her knickers. She began to squirm and moan and he could feel how wet she was. He was a virgin, but the guys in the dorms talked a lot and he knew that was a good sign. He slowly removed her knickers as he continued kissing her. Then she pushed him back enough so that she could finally lower his trunks and free his rock hard cock. She gripped him as he kicked the trunks off the bed and thrust himself into her hand. Then she released him and he moved over her, kissing her deep as he positioned himself, preparing to enter her. He looked at her and she nodded as he started to push in slowly. She was wonderfully tight and hot and felt exquisite. Then he saw a bit of pain cross her face and he stopped. He hated hurting her.

"It's fine love, keep going slow."

Harry continued and was mostly in her when he reached her barrier and stopped. She was biting her lip and he leaned forward to kiss her as he stopped moving and let her adjust to his girth. She gave him another nod and he decided to get it over with quick as he gave one short thrust and pushed himself the rest of the way in. Hermione yelped and her nails dug into his shoulders as a couple tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes. He stopped and leaned forward to kiss the tears away. The feeling for him was magnificent and he had been afraid he would come immediately, but as he worried for her he found himself holding back. He kept kissing her and muttered endearments quietly in her ear while he waited for her to be ready to continue. A couple minutes later, she kissed him and smiled.

"Thanks love, I'm better. You can move now."

Harry began to slowly pull out a bit and then push back in. He gradually lengthened his strokes and watched her face closely. The pain was gone and soon was replaced with happiness as she began to move with him. He was close and started to think about a particularly bad potions class to hold himself back. He wanted to see her come desperately as he lengthened his strokes and adjusted himself. As he pulled slightly to the side, her eyes shot open and she yelped as she threw her head back. He seemed to have found a spot she liked and he held her leg slightly as he repeated what he had done. She thrust up to meet him as he went into her even deeper. She was panting and begged him to speed up, which he did. Then she looked right at him and the look of ecstasy on her face made him tremble. He could almost feel her climax as she suddenly came and squeezed down on his cock. That finally made him lose it as he shot off inside her and they both called out to each other. As they mutually climaxed, something familiar happened as the room filled with blue-white light and the chimes of their soul bond returned. As the chimes sounded, Harry pushed into her once again even though he thought he was done he came again as she screamed and shuddered to a second climax as well. Gradually they both settled as he softened and slid out of her, rolling to her side as they held each other tightly. As far as they were concerned, they were the only ones in the world at that moment. As Harry looked into Hermione's eyes, his own contentment magnified as hers rolled into him. She felt the same from him and thought that no one could ever truly understand what they had. A few minutes later, their bliss was interrupted when a silvery boar bounded into the room. The patronus started talking immediately.

"This is Frank. What's going on? I'm calling backup."

Harry groaned and jumped out bed, reaching for his sweatpants. He tossed Hermione a robe as he grabbed his wand and dissolved their privacy charms. He opened the bedroom door and groaned as he saw Frank and Jean both standing there.

"Hi Frank. Don't call backup. We're fine."

Hermione appeared behind Harry and Frank looked over the two teenagers. They were both looking quite rumpled. Hermione's hair was a sight.

"Alright Harry. What the bloody hell? I saw a light coming from up here when I was outside. It was so bright I thought there was an explosion, except I didn't hear anything. I came barging in, frightening Mrs. Granger who was on the way up the stairs. That's when I heard some kind of music."

Harry blushed. "Um, yeah. The lights and music is part of the soul bond magic. It's happened before."

"Well you could have bloody warned us. Should we expect this a lot?"

Hermione decided to take over, even though she was blushing more than Harry.

"I'm not sure Frank, but I don't think so. Soul bonds are unique and not understood. We hadn't anticipated that happening again. I think our bond is complete now though so I think it's done."

Frank nodded and a look of realization finally hit him. He did his best not to smile.

"Hmm, yes, I think I understand. Well, my apologies for the intrusion. I'm glad everything is alright."

"Frank? Since you didn't call backup, does this have to be part of your official duty report?"

"What? No. Since you're alright, I don't think it needs to be."

"Thanks."

Frank turned and left the couple and Jean standing in front of the door. She smirked at the two of them and yawned.

"Well, since the excitement's done, I'm going to bed. I'll let the two of you continue."

Jean went down the hall while Harry and Hermione went back to the bedroom and closed the door. They flopped on the bed and cuddled up again.

"Well that was bloody embarrassing."

Hermione giggled. "Definitely. Although the part before they showed up was quite spectacular."

Harry smiled and kissed her. They were soon wrapped around each other as they quickly forgot the interruption. After a few minutes, Hermione pulled back and smiled.

"I really wasn't expecting anything quite like that again. I guess our bond really is complete. It made it quite memorable."

"Yes. I hope it won't be hard to match the memory of that first time."

"Well, why don't we try?"

Harry grinned and leaned over her as she reached to guide him back into her. Their second time was slow and delicious as they each focused on pleasuring and loving each other. Harry marveled at the experience. This was truly making love. It was more than sex. More than a quick shag. When they both came it wasn't accompanied by lights and music, but it was just as spectacular and this time Harry was the one with tears in his eyes. They were both finally satisfied and when they finished, they fell asleep embracing.

The next morning, Hermione was the first awake and she smiled at her husband, her lover. He was completely peaceful with a small upward turn to his mouth that made her smile. His hair was a shock and it was sexy as hell. She looked down and saw that he had his usual partial morning wood. She considered waking him to take advantage of it, but she was still sore from the previous night. The pain was to be expected and it was completely worth it in the end. Harry had been an amazing and wonderfully patient lover as she knew he would be. Slowly she lifted his arm off her and rolled off the bed. She grabbed a robe and tiptoed to the loo. Checking a clock, she saw it was still early. She cast a couple cleaning charms and decided that she wanted some tea as she made her way quietly out of the room. When she reached the kitchen, she found her mother was already there. Jean looked up and smiled at her daughter.

"Good morning. I'm surprised to see you awake this early. Harry still sleeping?"

"Yes. I managed to sneak out without waking him. Thought I'd get some tea. Maybe I'll surprise him for a change and make breakfast."

"Sounds good. Also, I wanted to apologize about last night. If I'd understood, I wouldn't have come up there. The light was quite bright."

"It's alright mum. I'm glad dad wasn't home though. Frank was bad enough. We had no idea that would happen again."

"So that's what happened when you bonded in the hospital?"

Hermione nodded as she reached for the teapot.

"Well I guess I understand why it made such a commotion. Quite remarkable. I also understand a bit more about the magic of a soul bond now. I think though that I won't mention it to your father. He already has nightmares about the two of you."

"Really mum? We're married. Married by magic, but still. As you've see it's more of a bond than a lot of people get with a quick ceremony. We waited over two weeks before we completed the bond and Harry let me make that decision."

"I understand dear, but these things are difficult for fathers. And you're still so young. Not that I'm delusional about things these days. I know a lot of girls your age sleep around. And you are married. I'm glad your consummation was so spectacular."

"Thanks mum, but I don't think I want to talk in detail about it."

"I understand. Just one more thing. I have to ask. I'm a mum. Have you and Harry discussed family? Truthfully, I'm not quite ready to be a grandmum."

"We're definitely not ready for family. We have school to finish and a dark wizard to defeat. You don't have to worry, I started the Potion earlier this week."

"Ah, okay. I know you're smart. Thanks for reassuring me."

Jean came around and hugged her daughter as the topic of conversation thankfully switched to a choice of what to make for breakfast. By the time Harry showed up a while later, breakfast was almost complete. He came into the kitchen and pulled Hermione into a hug. She turned to kiss him and he decided to not let her go until she pushed back.

"Harry! Stop distracting me. I'm going to burn the pancakes."

"Mmm. Pancakes. Alright, I guess I'll stop. For now."

Jean laughed and Harry looked over at her and blushed

"Morning Jean. Um, sorry about last night."

"No worries Harry. Hermione and I already chatted. Everything's fine."

Harry nodded and went to pour himself some tea. Soon the three of them were sitting down to the delicious breakfast and Harry praised his wife's cooking. After, he insisted on doing the cleanup. Then he and Hermione went back upstairs to shower and dress. When they reached the room, Harry offered to let her take the first shower.

"Actually, why don't we save water and shower together love?"

Harry grinned and dropped his sweatpants to the floor as Hermione chuckled. The shower actually took much longer than planned and in the end Harry doubted that any water was saved. Hermione was still too sore for anything strenuous, but they had both managed to pleasure each other orally and both had come enough that they had wash a second time. Eventually they got clean and dressed and decided to do some studying. After the events of the previous night, Hermione decided that it was time to read their book on soul bonds. With their schoolwork and other studies, she had set the book aside. It wasn't a very large book and she figured it wouldn't take it long to read through. Harry seemed to think it was a good idea, even though he didn't voice this. While she settled into the book, Harry continued one of the defense books, reading about unusual charms applications. The two felt quite content as they snuggled up and studied together. Hermione could almost feel the peaceful vibes coming from Harry. She was about a third of the way through the book when all of a sudden something she read made a few things start to click into place. Harry had set his book down and looked over at her.

"Need to tell me something love?"

Hermione looked over the top of the book and stared at him.

"Harry, why did you stop right then and ask me that?"

"Um, I don't know. I guess I thought you wanted to tell me something."

"Well I do, but how did you know right then?"

Harry shrugged.

"Well I think I have the answer. And it explains a few things. Apparently it's been noted in most soul bond cases that the soul bonded individuals are capable of feeling their partner's emotions. In a few rare cases the partners even reach the level of mind speech with each other. It's also been reported that there may be knowledge sharing among bonded individuals through their mind link."

Harry's eyes popped open.

"Well that does explain a bit. Last night when we were together, I could feel your climax almost like a wave coming at me. At first I thought it was part of mine. I mean, I'm not that experienced. Except that what I felt was different, less but still wonderful. And when we separated at the concert to go to separate loos, I was worried at first, but then I just knew you were alright."

"I've had similar feelings, especially last night. I felt the same from you. I guess our love making will be something really special if we feel our own and each other's climaxes. And when you were talking to dad the other night, I was in the kitchen but I came out because I felt you were uneasy."

"I wonder to if it's helping with our studying? Like when you helped me with the potions homework. It was almost like once you saw what I was working on, it just made more sense to me. The next day when I read the Charms chapters you had read before, they seemed familiar."

"Wow. This could really help with classes."

"So, does the book say how long the bond takes to grow completely? Does it keep growing all the time?"

"Well, it doesn't give a timeline. The maturity of the bond is unique to each couple. It does state that there seems to be a point of maximum maturity. I'll keep reading."

Harry nodded and leaned over to kiss her as they each returned to their own readings. Fifteen minutes later Hermione paused again and Harry looked up, knowingly.

"Listen to this Harry: _While the initial soul bonding experience can occur from any intense physical contact, the actual consummation of the bond is most intense with intercourse and some bondings have even reported a secondary bonding experience upon initiation of sexual contact. There is evidence that this consummation will also produce a marked increase in soul bond linkage and skills, including potential mind speech and magic growth."_

"Wow. Maybe we should have read that sooner and been warned about what happened last night. It kind of makes sense after what happened that our linkage will be more intense now. What does it mean by magic growth?"

"Well, it doesn't say specifically, but all wizards and witches go through periods of magic growth. Just like our physical bodies, our magic grows and matures. If you think about it, you cast the privacy spells last night and those have never been your strongest. Yet, you cast them so strong that an Auror had to send a patronus into the room because he couldn't break through them. Also, when I cast the privacy spells before we talked to my parents, I felt they were easier than before. Now that we are bonded our magical cores are linked. So I would surmise that we can draw on each other's power. Of course, that could be dangerous if we over exert."

"Hmm, I guess we need to practice carefully while we see out how this works."

Hermione nodded and continued reading the book. She didn't find anything else that they didn't already know, although there were several stories of other soul bonded couples that were quite interesting to read about. The most recent the book noted was seventy five years previous. Once she had finished, she gave the book to Harry. It had only taken Hermione a bit over an hour to read the brief volume, but Harry took much less time to skim through it since he already knew most of it. Once that was done, they continued on with defensive studies.

Harry and Hermione spent the next two weeks in much the same way, studying and working around the house. Neil had returned from Leeds and both he and Jean kept up full schedules at the practice, leaving the young couple with the house to themselves most days. They enjoyed the time alone and also made themselves useful doing small chores and projects around the house. Ron, Ginny, Neville and a couple other friends sent owl post regularly and they responded on a weekly basis. Ron and Ginny both insisted that they come to the Burrow later in the summer as planned and a date had been set with the Grangers of August 9th, giving them three weeks at the end of summer to spend at the Burrow. Hermione of course asked Ron how his homework and studies were going and Ron of course managed to not answer the question. Harry also traded a couple owls with Sirius, but he had left earlier in the summer with Remus on a trip to the continent. It was some sort of secret mission that Dumbledore set them on and he couldn't say much. Once they were gone, he had only managed to send one owl. Harry had wanted to visit with him, but he was so happy with Hermione that he didn't much mind.

Harry made a point of taking Hermione on a couple more dates, usually just in the neighborhood. They had located a couple small restaurants they both liked and would have lunch out a couple days a week, sometimes meeting the Grangers. They also went bowling once, but both decided it wasn't something they were fond of. They also enjoyed the muggle cinema. Harry had only been to two movies as a child and he felt indulgent when they once went three times in one week. He made a point to try courting Hermione, which she found endearing, although she insisted that she really didn't feel shorted by having skipped straight to being married. Back at home, she and Harry were doing well in their basic defensive studies, but had completely obliterated a few dummies and were longing for more instruction. The books were helpful, but they each felt like they wanted to learn more. When they weren't studying books, they studied each other and often made good use of the empty house during the day. The summertime wore on and they were happy, but starting to get a bit bored. Then one evening at dinner, Neil suggested a vacation.

"Hermione, Harry, your mum and I have been talking and we want to get away. We think it would be good for you as well. We talked about France, but we don't have more than a week that we can take off since John is on leave from the practice right now. So we were thinking, would the two of you like to go to the beach? Suffolk isn't far and we have a patient who has a cottage is Felixstowe. They had it rented out for the summer, but the week after next their rental cancelled so it's open. The practice has been light with everyone else on vacation, so we can clear the schedule by then."

Hermione could feel Harry's happy surprise and his approval of the plan, which she also thought sounded great.

"That sounds good dad. I think we'd like that. Is the cottage big enough for the four of us?"

"Yes, actually it's three bed, so more than enough. Shouldn't you ask Harry though?"

"Like Mione said, we're fine."

Neil gave them both a look as the young couple clasped hands. There was something going on there. Hermione saw her father's expression and decided she should explain.

"Dad, our soul bond is settling in more. As it does, we can feel each other. We actually have had a bit since the beginning, but it's more so now. I can't hear Harry's thoughts, at least not yet, but I can fell his emotions and I knew he was happy with the suggestion as well."

Harry smiled at her and leaned in to give his wife a quick kiss. Neil just shook his head while Jean grinned. With the decision made, Hermione and Jean began to excitedly talk about preparations for their departure in nine days.

The time leading up to their vacation was spent much the same as they had before. The neighborhood hosted a local carnival and both couples decided to go. Harry and Hermione rode the ferris wheel and ate cotton candy, making a complete mess with it and then insisting they clean it off of each other. They were just getting out of hand when the giggles of a couple pre-teens watching them brought them to their senses. Later in the week, they went out to Neil's favorite pub and Harry got his first darts lesson. They still studied plenty, but also found the time to just enjoy the summer together. The Aurors still kept up their guard, but had told them that the Death Eaters were being remarkably quiet. That somewhat concerned the young couple, as they wondered what preparations the Death Eaters and Voldemort were working on. Unable to do anything at the moment, they pushed the concern aside and decided to enjoy themselves. Soon it came time for their long awaited beach vacation. The night before, the house was a flurry of packing. Jean and Neil both laughed when Hermione began levitating her and Harry's things down the stairs to the waiting pile. The Grangers had become quite accustomed to magic in the five weeks that Hermione and Harry had been home. Soon, all but the last minute items were packed and loaded into the Land Rover and everyone headed off to try to sleep despite the anticipation of their upcoming holiday.


	6. Felixstowe

Chapter 6 – Felixstowe

The drive to the coast only took a couple hours and Harry especially enjoyed the drive, watching the countryside pass by and talking with his new family. It was a far cry from the couple road trips he had been forced on with the Dursleys. They arrived at their rented cottage and Hermione and Jean both exclaimed over it. The cottage looked like something out of a postcard, set on the edge of the village with a view of the beach from a slight elevation. The main entry was off a secondary street above the main beach side road, allowing the back yard of the house to face the water. Once they entered, they found the inside was not overly large, but was quite comfortable. The decor was an eclectic selection that appeared to have been collected piecemeal through the years, but coordinated well and had an overall nautical theme. The front door opened onto a small entry alcove on the far left side of the house. Stairs went immediately up, where the three bedrooms and two bathrooms were located. To the right of the entry, a sitting room joined onto a large kitchen with an eat in buffet. The kitchen had a back door that led to the garden. The front yard was quite small, so the back yard was a surprise when they opened the door and found a good size patio and lawn lined with a low stone wall covered in wild roses. The yard had a magnificent view of the beach and Hermione immediately settled into a patio chair and took a deep breath. Harry soaked in her feeling of contentment and smiled at her. This was going to be a good week.

After settling in to the cottage, the two couples decided to head down to Sea Road and check out the available attractions. From there they then moved to the promenade, where they enjoyed the stroll with each couple wrapped around each other. The town was a modest seaside resort and thus wasn't overly crowded. They located a small restaurant and ordered the latest catch that had come off the morning boats. Hermione thought it was the freshest fish she had ever had. The restaurant may not have looked impressive, but the food was completely worth it. After wandering around, they decided to walk back to the cottage. On the way they picked up a few groceries. The rest of the afternoon was spent sunning on the chairs in the back yard while admiring the view. As the sun set they were treated to a spectacular display. Harry was curled up in a large lounge chair with Hermione. They hadn't said much, mainly just trading small kisses. As they watched the sunset, Hermione smiled and looked at Harry.

"This is so beautiful I could almost forget everything else going on. I wish we could stay like this forever. Maybe some day we can come back here and have a wedding. Maybe in five years. Don't you think it would perfect?"

"Hmm, yes love. Although, why wait? I know you decided a wedding wasn't necessary and that we had too much else going on, but do we really? I mean, this afternoon we've laid around for hours. We don't need anything big. Owl a few friends, find someone to do the ceremony. You and your mum wanted to check the shops in town. You can find a nice dress and we'll pick up some flowers and a cake."

Hermione was silent for a few minutes as she thought about it. She nuzzled into Harry's neck and kissed his jaw.

"Do you really think we could Harry? Something simple right here?"

"Sure thing. Why don't we talk to your parents? We'll owl our friends. Sirius was supposed to be arriving back in country about now. We'll invite the Weasleys of course, maybe your dorm mates, anyone else you want. We'd need to find someone to officiate. When would you want to do this?"

"Well, we're here for seven days, maybe in three or four. At sunset like now. As for the officiant, why not Arthur?"

"Um sure, can he?"

"Yes. He certified as part of one of his jobs in the Ministry years ago. Ron said that the summer after our second year he officiated for a second cousin of his. He doesn't do it often, but I'm sure he will."

"Alright, one thing decided. See, this won't be hard. Honestly, I don't see how people can make such a fuss out of weddings. The important thing should just be getting married."

Hermione laughed and kissed him.

"You are such a guy and I love you for it. Most weddings are much more complex. If you're inviting hundreds of people and doing a meal and dancing and bridesmaids it can take a lot."

"Well, I think I'll be fine with simple. Honestly, I don't know hundreds of people that I care about enough to invite."

Hermione chuckled and slowly sat up, pulling Harry with her.

"Come love, let's talk this over with my parents."

Jean and Neil were a bit surprised, but excited at the possibility of a wedding and plans began that night. The first order of business was a guest list. Next, they made a short list of to-do items for the men and the women to be started the next day. Harry had been a bit worried that the Grangers wouldn't be happy with part of their vacation being taken over, but they quickly dissuaded him of that idea. That night they were all up late, excited and planning. Finally, shortly before midnight they all decided the day was well used and retired to their separate bedrooms.

When Harry and Hermione reached their room, he barely had a chance to step in when she was on him, yanking his shirt off. He took hold of her and kissed her deeply as she groaned and continued to try to strip him. He pulled back a bit and smiled at her.

"Wow Mione, you are so hot tonight. I didn't realize how excited you were."

"You have no idea Harry. I love you so much. I thought I'd be alright without a wedding, but now I'm so happy to be getting one. I'm want to show my appreciation."

"Well, I certainly am not arguing, but you know the only thing I need is to see you happy and looking beautiful on our wedding day."

Hermione gave him a half smile and tears started to brim in her eyes. Then she pulled his head down and began to kiss him intently as her hands went from running across his chest and worked down to his belt. Harry reached forward and unbuttoned her blouse as his erection twitched and he moaned with need for her. She pulled away for a brief moment and cast the charms on the room before tossing the wand and yanking his pants down. Harry pulled her back up and kicked his pants off as he finished removing her bra. He moved them toward the bed and laid down with her as he began to kiss her chest and moved to sucking her nipples as she whimpered and fisted her hands in his hair. As his mouth worked, his hands moved down and unbuttoned her pants. He moved back to her mouth and, as they continued kissing, she lifted her hips and he pulled the pants and her knickers off in one movement. As his tongue explored her mouth, his hand moved across her clit and began to gently probe her as she began to pant.

"Har…Harry…please…now..."

Harry smiled down on her and maneuvered himself to her entrance. He slid in slowly and groaned with her as they joined.

"Love you so much Mione. So, so much."

Harry began gently stroking her as she begged him to speed up. He wanted to make love to her all night, but they were both desperate for release. He sat up a bit and took hold of her knees as he increased his pace and drove himself deeper. She began to come and yelped once before finally releasing and calling his name. Harry kept working her as he sought his own release and her head was thrown back as a series of explosive exclamations and colorful language flew out of her when she climaxed a second time. That was Harry's final undoing as he poured himself into her before collapsing on her side. They kissed briefly before succumbing to sleep for a while. A couple hours later, Harry woke when Hermione got up to visit the loo. When she came back, they kissed for a bit and then made love again. This time their hunger was lessened as they languidly made love, watching each other enjoy the pleasure and continuing their learning of each other. While their second round climax took much longer to arrive, it was even more spectacular than earlier as they mutually came together with their bond linking their emotions. Each saw lights and stars before collapsing in each other's arms, instantly unconscious.

The next morning Jean and Neil were downstairs with breakfast almost ready and still hadn't seen Harry or Hermione. Neil went upstairs and knocked, but received no response. Worried, he went back downstairs to Jean.

"I don't know dear. They aren't answering. Should we just let them sleep? Maybe I should check on them?"

"We have a lot to do today, so we can't let them sleep more. I'll go check on them."

"I can do it."

"No Neil, I think it's best I go."

"Ugh, alright, I am not even going to think about why."

Jean patted her husband's shoulder and made her way back upstairs. She knocked again and waited, but then slowly opened the door. The sight that greeted her was a bit shocking for a mother, but endearing otherwise. They were both passed out and completely tangled around each other with a sheet tangled between them. They were completely naked and smiling in their sleep. Obviously they'd had an eventful night. Jean crossed the room to wake them and couldn't help but notice Harry was semi-erect. She gasped for a minute and shook her head. That was something she didn't need to see. Her daughter was certainly lucky. Of course, so was Harry. She reached over and gently shook Hermione's shoulder. Then she shook harder and finally Hermione stirred, causing Harry to as well. It took a full two minutes for them to come around. Hermione looked up at her mother and groaned. Then Harry realized who was standing there and quickly dropped a hand to cover himself as Jean laughed.

"No worries son. It's nothing I haven't seen before. I am sorry to intrude, but neither of you woke when we knocked. It's just past nine in the morning and we have a lot to do today. I'll leave you be now, but breakfast is ready when you are."

"Thanks mum. We'll be down shortly."

Jean left and Hermione and Harry slowly extricated themselves after a brief morning kiss.

"Last night was amazing Mione. I swear we get better each time."

"I think our bond is definitely settling in. When we finished together that last time and our magic joined I think we overloaded though. I feel like I'm coming out of a coma."

"I know the feeling. I'm glad it was your mum to come get us at least. Still, embarrassing that my mother-in-law saw that."

Hermione laughed and kissed him again. They decided to take a quick mutual shower, exercising all self control to keep it just at showering. A half hour later they finally made it down to breakfast. Jean went to put the food in the microwave, but Harry stopped her and cast a warming charm instead. Neil just shook his head and took his plate. Magic was definitely useful. Once they had eaten, they went to the front yard and whistled their Auror signal. A few seconds later, Tonks came out from behind a tree.

"Wotcher Hermione! What's the plan today? This place is beautiful by the way."

Hermione quickly filled her in on their separate errands and Tonks called for backup. Ten minutes later they set off for errands around town. Hermione and Jean separated to go shopping for a dress. Neil and Harry meanwhile went and secured the rental of two long tables and enough chairs for their small group of guests. Their next stop was the wonderful restaurant they had eaten at the previous day. Hermione wanted a full dinner for everyone after the ceremony and had decided on steaks and seafood. Neil was planning on grilling the steaks, which was a specialty of his. For the seafood, they ordered several fish pies and a selection of local shellfish from the restaurant. About a block down from the restaurant, Harry noticed something a bit unusual. Between two shops was a small doorway with no sign above, but a couple runes on the door.

"Hey Neil, do you see that door over there? The blue one between the kite shop and the tour company."

"What Harry? I don't see any blue door. I see the kite shop and the tours, nothing between them."

"Hmm, that's what I thought. I need to investigate, take my arm please."

Neil did as Harry asked and they walked toward what had been a blank section of wall. Then he noticed the door Harry had mentioned appear. They stepped in and Harry smiled as Neil goggled. The shop appeared to be a wizard's general store. On one wall were jars of potion ingredients. There was also a small stack of cauldrons, a couple brooms hanging in a corner, a few shelves of books and a rack of basic robes. On the far end of the store stood a very old and charred fireplace. A witch with a mass of fluffy grey hair peered over the counter at them.

"Welcome lad! Ye bring a muggle with ye?"

"Good day madam. Yes, this is my father-in-law."

Harry carefully brushed his hair, hoping that his scar would remain hidden as he stepped closer.

"I hadn't realized there was a wizard store here in town. I saw the door and decided I'd check in. Out of curiosity, does your fireplace connect to the floo network?"

"Aye. Just say Miranda's Shoppe if you come this direction. Cost is two sickles."

"Excellent. This will be a big help. I'll have some friends coming in from out of town for a party in a couple days. I'll give them the information. How late are you open?"

"Oh, depends. I'll be around till about four. Course, I live upstairs. If your party runs late, just have your friends knock and I can come down and let them in. Wait, let me get my glasses…you're Harry Potter!"

"Um yeah. Except I'm here on vacation. I'm trying to keep quiet and relax."

"Not to worry lad! Ole Miranda won't be sayin nothin. Tis a pleasure to meet ye though. Ye just send your friends on through whenever, no charge. Not for Harry Potter."

"That's quite kind mam, but honestly I can afford it and you deserve the business. I don't know the exact number of people who'll be coming through, but here's three galleons ahead of time. If it's more, I'll come back and settle up."

"Not to worry lad, thank ye. I hope your party goes well. It has been a pleasure. Maybe once ye leave town I can tell my friends I met ye."

"Sure thing, we'll only be here through Sunday. I appreciate you keeping my secret until then."

Harry said goodbye to Miranda and led Neil out of the shop. He had remained quiet, but shook his head as they exited.

"Your world continues to surprise me Harry, but this will make arrangements easier. Also, does everyone in your world know you?"

"Not everyone in the wizarding world Neil, but probably all of wizarding Britain. Bloody annoying a lot of the time."

Neil just shook his head as they headed back to the main part of town and began to look for suitable clothes for Harry. With their in town errands finished, they returned to the cottage well before the ladies. Harry whistled and Tonks appeared. She was more than happy to help and apparated Harry to the Leaky so that he could go to the owl post in Diagon Alley. Once all the invitations were posted with the details, including the floo information, Tonks took him back to the cottage. Later in the afternoon, the ladies returned from their shopping. Hermione was thrilled that she had found the perfect dress. She refused to show Harry but confirmed it was what she had talked about the night before, a light, casual, white summer dress, suitable for the beach. They also had located a bakery and ordered a simple two tier cake. The one thing that Hermione wasn't happy about was the flowers. No florist in town carried orchids, so she had settled for a small bouquet of pastel roses that she would pick up in a couple days.

With the errands done for the day, Harry and Hermione retreated to their sunning spot in the back yard. Soon they were dozing as the salty afternoon breeze washed over them. They woke as the sun started to set and once again enjoyed the view, looking forward to their wedding in a couple days. Since they were well rested, Harry suggested they go down to the pier they had seen the day before. They notified Frank, who had taken over watch duties and he called in additional guards, one to go with him and one to stay at the cottage. Neil and Jean opted for a quiet night at the cottage, wishing them a good time. The walk from the cottage took about fifteen minutes and soon they were strolling the vendor and game stands along the pier. On one of their first stops, Harry won a stuffed purple hippopotamus for his wife and Hermione laughed, declaring it 'what she always wanted'. They took their new family member and stopped at a small seafood restaurant, where they both enjoyed hearty bowls of fish stew with thick slabs of bread on the side. The night was pleasant and warm and Harry once again found himself forgetting about all his worries. This night it was just him, his beautiful wife and a purple hippo. Oh, and a couple disguised Aurors shadowing them to ensure everything remained safe.

As they neared the end of the pier, they came up behind a young family with three small children. The oldest was a girl who appeared to be about five. As they stepped off the end of the pier, the girl tripped and was about to tumble down the ten steps to the bottom when Harry's magic flared and with a quick wave of his hand, she was caught in midair and set on a step. He quickly covered and ran his hand through his hair, trying to act nonchalant. Hermione whipped around and stared at him as he shrugged. The little girl appeared fine, although shocked. She had also lost a large balloon that she let loose during the accident. The parents were immediately at her side, checking her over and glad she was alright as they tried to console her over the loss. They turned to look at Harry and Hermione, obviously still a bit bewildered. Harry quickly decided to cover.

"Wow, that was some fancy footwork there. You have quite the little dancer. She had me scared for a minute."

"Um, yes, us as well. I don't know how Meggie caught herself" the girl's father replied as she continued to cry.

Hermione stepped forward and kneeled down in front of the little girl.

"Hi there Meggie. I saw you catch yourself. I'm glad you didn't fall, but I see you lost your balloon. I was wondering if you could do me a favor and take this hippo. I don't have room for him in my suitcase."

Meggie's eyes got big as her tears slowly stopped. She looked between both her parents and they nodded in approval. She reached forward and took the hippo as she thanked Hermione. Her father looked up and thanked them as her mother dried Meggie's tears. Harry and Hermione once again expressed that they were glad all was well, then said good night to the family. They continued on a bit further as Harry tightened his grip on Hermione.

"That was so sweet what you did for her love."

"Well, you know I love the fact you won me a prize, but I think Meggie will be able to use a purple hippo a bit more than I can."

Harry chuckled and stopped to pull her around for a long kiss, oblivious to any audience. They continued on a bit further and then stopped for ice cream cones that they took to a bench, where they sat and looked out at the water. Eventually they wandered back to the cottage and found that Neil and Jean had already gone on to bed. As they crawled into their own bed, Hermione curled herself up against Harry and sighed happily after what had been a very good day.

The next morning they were all eating breakfast when the first owl arrived in response to the invitations that Harry had sent. It was from the Burrow and included an enthusiastic acceptance from the family, as well as a happy note from Arthur saying he would love to officiate. Over the course of the morning, several more owls arrived with acceptances, including one from Sirius which thrilled Harry, although Sirius said he would be coming undercover. After the fourth owl, a knock sounded on the door. Harry went to check who it was and found Tonks waiting.

"Good morning Tonks. Something wrong?"

"Not sure Harry. Four owls in one morning though makes me wonder."

"Ah, we were going to talk to you all today after we had all the responses. We're going to have a small wedding ceremony here tomorrow at sunset in the back garden. Hermione deserves to have something official."

Tonks was about to reply when two more owls arrived. Harry checked the notes and grinned as two more friends accepted.

"So Harry, how many people should we be expecting. Anyone special?"

"So far almost everyone has replied. Right now it's the Weasleys, Molly, Arthur, Fred, George, Percy, Ron and Ginny. Then Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Hagrid, a couple of other family friends. All of them will probably apparate to the back garden. I found a floo spot in town for my other friends who can't apparate. So far we've got Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet and Lavender Brown. The only reply I haven't received is from the Patil twins, Parvati and Padma."

"Alright, not too bad. And with Dumbledore here, that will add to security. I'll send word back to the office. What time are you starting?"

"The ceremony will be at eight. So people will probably start arriving an hour before. We'll have dinner after."

Tonks nodded and pulled out a mirror that she used to communicate to someone at the office. With the details set, she left the cottage and Harry returned to breakfast. They discussed the plans for the day and decided to head down to the beach and relax. Hermione went to change into her swimsuit and Harry to his trunks. Her bikini wasn't tiny, but it allowed him to see plenty and he crossed the room to take her in his arms. They kissed for a couple minutes and then reluctantly separated. Hermione pulled on a cover up, but Harry reached for jeans and a t-shirt as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"I have a couple pieces of business to attend to love. It shouldn't take long, so I'll meet you down at the beach in a while."

"Do you want me to go with you? What's up?"

"No, you head on down to the beach, I have this covered."

Hermione looked suspicious and had a feeling that he was up to something, but then he kissed her again and the rest of her questions evaporated. Harry stepped outside before the others, and Tonks came back to him. She called for Frank to go with Hermione and the Grangers and then apparated Harry back to the Leaky.

"Tonks, I really appreciate you doing all this for us. I know this isn't in your normal duties. Am I allowed to pay you something in thanks?"

"No Harry, we can't take gifts and it's not needed. Honestly, I don't mind. This is much better than half the other duties I've been called to do for the job."

Harry nodded and they made their way to Diagon Alley. Harry's first stop was at Fantastic Flora to search for orchids. When he entered the magical florist, his jaw dropped. The range of traditional and modern flora was truly fantastic. Even more fantastic were the magical enchantments added to the arrangements. He went to inquire about orchids and found they weren't normally carried, but the proprietor sent his assistant down the street while Harry waited. It turned out that Dougal's Biological Emporium had orchid plants and was willing to take flower cuttings for the modest amount that Harry needed. He then discussed enchantments and settled on something that he thought Hermione would like. He had to pay both shops and the cost came to 35 galleons, but it was worth it for Hermione. He also paid for delivery to be made via floo to Miranda's Shoppe. With the flowers decided, he next stopped at the grocery and picked up several cases of butterbeer and a half dozen bottles of elven wine. With the last arrangements for the wedding complete, Harry rejoined Tonks and they headed back to Felixstowe, stopping at the cottage and then going to the beach.

Harry and Hermione spent the rest of the day on the beach with the Grangers. Hermione managed to carefully cast sunblock charms on all of them that prevented burning, but allowed each to tan nicely. Neil and Jean were once again impressed with the usefulness of magic. Between working on their tans, Harry and Hermione played in the surf some as well and generally enjoyed the day. They returned to the cottage that night and Hermione made a short checklist for the following day.

The next day Harry and Hermione were both excited and buzzing as they made their way down to breakfast, where they found an owl waiting. The Patil twins had just arrived home from their own vacation and accepted the invitation as well, completing their guest list. After breakfast, they all decided to go to Seafront Gardens. They then had lunch and returned to the cottage to begin setting up for the evening. Neil and Harry took the Land Rover to pick up the tables and chairs from the rental company. Harry also stopped by Miranda's and found that the orchids had arrived via floo delivery. Miranda had placed them in the back and exclaimed over Harry's excellent taste in wedding flowers. Realizing he had been caught, Harry blushed as the she chuckled and assured him the secret was safe with her. With the flowers in hand, Neil and Harry headed back to the cottage. They unloaded the tables and chairs to the back yard, where they set up the chairs for the ceremony and put the tables on the patio near the grill. The process was tedious and Harry wished they could use magic, but they were in sight of a lot of muggles. Once everything was arranged, Harry gathered the flowers and made his way upstairs. Hermione was in their bedroom and he was ready to surprise her. He knocked on the door and she called him in.

"Mum is that you? Come on in."

"Actually it's me love. I have a surprise. Close your eyes."

"Really Harry? I'm so excited I don't know if I can take surprises."

"Well, I think you'll like this one."

"Alright, my eyes are closed."

Harry opened the door and stepped in to find a grinning Hermione with her eyes tightly shut. He held out the flowers and told her to open her eyes. When she did, she saw a beautiful bouquet of orchids in a range of light pinks and peach. They had been enchanted with sparkling stars that twinkled throughout the bouquet. In Harry's other hand he held two strands of woven white orchids that also sparkled. Harry was grinning as he watched her face go from shock to tears.

"Oh my Harry! Orchids."

"Of course love. They were the one thing you mentioned when we first talked about a wedding. I knew you had to have them. The white strands were something I wasn't sure of, but I got them in case you wanted to use them in your hair, but that's up to you. Do you like them?"

Hermione nodded and reached to take the flowers. She carefully looked them over and then turned to gently set them on the dresser. Then she turned back to Harry and attacked him as she tried to kiss every inch of his face and neck. She was wearing a simple cover up over her underclothes and yanked it off as she frantically began to pull Harry's shirt off. His pants were next as he got rid of Hermione's bra. As his trunks fell to the floor, he yanked her knickers off as they kept snogging. Unable to wait any longer, he lifted her and moved her to the wall as he pressed her up against it and drove himself into her. He set a quick pace with her encouragement and soon they both came powerfully as their mutual orgasm rolled between them and they slid down the wall to the floor. Their kisses continued slow and wonderful for a few more minutes as Harry pulled back and smiled at his soul mate.

"Wow love. I think I need to buy you flowers more often."

Hermione giggled and stood up, pulling Harry with her. They made their way to the bathroom where they showered and cleaned up. They still had a couple hours to the ceremony and headed downstairs to check on what else needed to be done. Jane was straightening up the living room and smiled at them as they came down the stairs.

"Hello you two. Neil went out to pick up the seafood and cake. Which is probably good since you forgot to silence yourselves."

Jean smirked at them and Harry groaned.

"Sorry Jean, we got a bit caught up in the moment."

"Yes, sorry mum. You should see the flowers Harry got me. He found my orchids!"

"I see. Well that certainly does call for a proper thank you."

Hermione and Jean both laughed while Harry turned crimson. They finished the few chores around the cottage quickly thanks to magic and then Hermione and her mum went upstairs to get her ready. Harry's clothes had been placed in the spare bedroom and he took only a few minutes to get ready. He was back downstairs when Neil arrived with the seafood and cake. The rest of the meal was already prepared, with a large selection of cut fruit and two kinds of potato salad to accompany the steak and seafood.

At a quarter to seven, Harry walked down to Miranda's Shoppe to greet his friends who were due to floo in. Lavender came first and was a bubbly as ever. Harry didn't know her well, but she was a dorm mate of Hermione's. Soon the rest of their friends started pouring out of the fireplace and crowding the small shop. Miranda was excited to have so many young people in the place and Harry thanked her once again as he led his group of friends out and made the ten minute walk back to the cottage. When they arrived, the Weasleys were there and Molly quickly engulfed him in a hug. Arthur then took him aside and talked to him a bit about the basic ceremony that he would be conducting. Harry and Hermione had decided to forgo an exchanging of rings, but just stick with the vows. Once he talked to Arthur, George grabbed Harry for a moment and produced a camera to document the event. Neil had a muggle camera, but Harry was grateful for George's thought to bring a wizard camera as well.

Everyone was in the back garden when Sirius and Remus both arrived at almost the same time. Harry stifled a laugh when he realized the strange man with Remus was his godfather. He was wearing a wild wig of greying red hair with a matching goatee and had apparently opted for muggle makeup and disguise over a glamour. Still, it was quite good, as he could pass for a member of the extensive Weasley clan. Harry caught himself as he shook his hand and was thrilled to see that he was looking well, having put on weight and tanned. Harry was curious about where he had been for the summer, but before he could ask, Dumbledore and McGongall arrived. Harry greeted each of them and then introduced Neil to everyone. Next, he whistled for the Aurors. Tonks and Frank popped in and Harry informed them that everyone who was expected had arrived. Tonks looked over, pondered Sirius, stared a bit and then moved on. Later, once Frank was on the other side of the yard, she returned.

"Cousin Sirius, is that you?"

"Always the sharp eyed one Tonks."

"Well, it comes with my abilities. I'm used to looking at features. You did well though, Frank didn't tumble at all."

Harry was suddenly concerned that Sirius' cover had been blown. Seeing his worry, Tonks' put a hand on his arm.

"Not to worry Harry, my cousin and I are both part of the Order of the Phoenix, an organization that Dumbledore founded during the first war against Voldemort. He supplied a memory that proved Sirius is innocent. Unfortunately, we can't get it submitted legally right now. Still, it allows those of us who are Aurors to look the other way and work with him in the meantime."

Harry bristled at that, thinking that Dumbledore could do more if he wanted, but this was not the time or place to allow himself to get upset.

"I see, thanks Tonks. Anyway, I'll be working on getting Sirius free as soon as I take my position as a lord shortly. For now, at least his disguise is good."

"Yes, cousin, I'm glad you could make it for Harry."

"Of course. I've already missed out on too many of my godfatherly duties."

"Cousin?" Harry asked.

Tonks chuckled.

"Yes Harry. Of course, most purebloods are cousins to the Blacks to some degree, but Sirius and I are seconds, which is fairly close. Of course, that means you're family to me as well. So no more of that nonsense about feeling bad when I help out. Now, Frank and I are here on duty so we're going to take our positions. There are two more Aurors out front as well given the number of people here."

"Harry, it's almost time." Neil warned.

With a nod, Harry went to the front at the end of the simple aisle that had been formed in the garden. Arthur was already in place, wearing his official robes. Everyone else quickly found seats as soft music poured out from the house, where Jean had turned on the soft Celtic music that Hermione had chosen for the ceremony. She then made her way to the front to sit as she smiled at Harry. A minute later, Hermione appeared and Harry took a moment to catch his breath. Her dress was a simple cotton summer dress with a lace detail across the bodice, which dipped and showed just a bit of cleavage. She wore simple white sandals and clutched the bouquet that Harry had gotten her. Her hair had been calmed into loose curls and pulled halfway back with the strands of the small, white orchids woven into it. As the setting sun illuminated the sky, the yellow-orange light made her glow. Neil led his daughter down the aisle, grinning at Harry. Hermione also had eyes only for him. He was dressed in pale khaki pants with a simple white silk shirt with mother of pearl buttons. The look was simple, but the look in his eyes was special as he radiated his love for her and his emotions flowed into her. When Neil and Hermione reached the end of the aisle, he kissed Hermione's cheek and placed her hands in Harry's before turning to sit next to Jean as Harry and Hermione turned to face Arthur. Arthur drew his wand and incanted the spell of magical matrimony as he began the ceremony.

"Dear family and friends, we are gathered here today so that we might share in the bond between Harry and Hermione. The spell I weave here is less than that which their souls have already woven, but it is their intent to bind themselves herein as well. If there is anyone here who is unhappy with this union, I ask now that you dismiss yourselves from our company."

Arthur waited a brief couple seconds and then continued.

"Now, Harry James Potter, do you wish to further consecrate Hermione Jean Potter as your soul bonded wife? Do you agree to love and cherish her, nurturing your souls together for the rest of eternity?"

"I most definitely do."

"And, Hermione Jean Potter, do you wish to further consecrate Harry James Potter as your soul bonded husband? Do you agree to love and cherish him, nurturing your souls together for the rest of eternity?"

"YES!"

"Harry, I believe you have some words for Hermione?"

"Indeed. Hermione, you have been my best friend for four years now. We were young when we met and, as our friendship grew, I came to finally know what love is. I grew up without love and my heart was unsure for a while, but through your kindness and faithfulness you have shown me a love that I never imagined. When we bonded that love grew to a level where I no longer know if there is an imagination that can dream of it. You are my heartbeat, my soulmate and my most treasured beloved. I hope for many years on this earth, as well as an eternity beyond to show you everything you mean to me."

A few sniffles could be heard in the audience as boxes of tissue were passed. Arthur took a moment to clear his throat before he continued.

"Hermione, I believe you also have some words for Harry?"

"Yes. Harry, you and I met when we were both first being introduced to the world of magic, to our world. We have faced great struggles and trials, and you have always persevered, while remaining a true and honest friend. When others have pushed me away and put me down, you have always been there to lift me up. As we matured, I realized my feelings for you had deepened. I was never a girl to believe in fairy tales, but when our souls bonded, I was made a believer. Each day I learn new levels of our bond and love, and I vow to work fervently to show you my love for all the years I am given on this earth and for all the time my soul exists once I leave this earth. You are my heart, my breath and my most cherished."

"With these vows and testaments, Harry and Hermione have declared their bond. I do hereby unite them in the additional vows of magical matrimony. May they indeed be granted many years and an eternity together."

Arthur finished the incantation that he had started the ceremony with. When it completed, a ring of golden light enveloped them and then a flash of blue light that made everyone cover their eyes flared for a few seconds as a loud chiming was heard. Arthur looked startled and then smiled as the light and chimes ended.

"Harry and Hermione, I know this is a bit after the fact, but you may now kiss each other."

Hermione giggled at Arthur as Harry reached to take her gently to him. The kiss started soft, but then deepened as they were suddenly alone in their own world. Their magic flowed out and mixed as a wave of energy poured off of them. They kissed until they felt the need to breathe and finally pulled back, grinning. Their stunned guests took a moment and then a loud applause began. They turned and looked at their small group of family and friends. Hermione squeezed Harry's hand as he spoke to everyone.

"Thank you all for joining us for this occasion on such short notice. We are happy to have been able to share our bond with all of you. Now, let's party!"

A cheer went up as everyone stood and came forward to embrace the soulmates. Neil and Jean were at the front of the group and, once they had both hugged them, Neil declared it was time to fire up the grill and handed his camera off to Jean. Once Harry and Hermione had been hugged and congratulated by everyone, Jean and George took them off to the side for pictures. Then Neil was pulled away from his grill so that the Grangers could have pictures with them. Next, George levitated both cameras so that the entire group could arrange themselves and have pictures taken together. Molly started casting chilling charms on the butterbeer and wine as the spirits began to flow. Hermione set the stereo to play in the background and soon everyone began dancing while they waited for the steaks. When the soulmates had danced a couple times, Harry found himself on the side near Arthur and thanked him once again.

"Arthur, I can't thank you enough. It meant a lot to have you be the officiant for us. We didn't want just someone we didn't know."

"I'm the one who is honored Harry. This was a most unique and special ceremony. That ending was something I hadn't anticipated."

"Really, what normally happens at a magical wedding?"

"Ah, yes, I forget. You've never been to a magical wedding. Well, the golden ring is the normal effect that seals a magical wedding. The additional blue light and chimes were something I've never seen or heard of before. And when you kissed, the magic that came off the two of you was quite spectacular. I wonder, do you have any idea how long that kiss lasted?"

"Um, no. I can say the blue light and chimes are part of the soul bond. We've had them twice before."

"Harry, you and Hermione were kissing for about four minutes. I checked my watch after about the first minute. Normally I might have hinted that it was time to stop, but there was no way I could with the magic pouring out of the two of you. It's interesting that you've had the light and chimes before. There is so little we know about soul bonds. I suppose that happened when you first bonded? When was the other time?"

"Four minutes? Wow. Well, it was an amazing kiss. And yes, the light and chimes happened first in the hospital wing when we bonded. The second time, um, well that was a couple weeks later when we um, consummated our bond."

Arthur chuckled and looked at the blushing young man.

"Well, I would guess that makes sense. Quite extraordinary."

Harry nodded as Dumbledore came over to join the conversation. The old wizard was looking contemplative and seemed less enthusiastic than most of their other guests.

"Hello headmaster. Everything alright?"

"Yes Harry. A lovely ceremony by the way. How are you and Hermione coping with situation?"

"Coping? I'm happier than I've ever been in my life. She's helping me try to forget the Dursleys. And Neil and Jean have been great. They were shocked at first, but they've come to an understanding."

"Hmm yes, about your aunt and uncle. I sent them a note explaining your absence. I do wish you would have reconsidered. We could have forced them to take in Hermione as well. Just for a couple weeks. The Death Eaters have been quiet, but we have information that they are organizing for something big."

Harry couldn't believe Dumbledore was suggesting that he and Hermione go to the Dursleys. He had always looked up to the old man, but now, as Dumbledore seemed to be distracted and didn't quite focus on him, Harry wondered what he was thinking. His magic began to flare as he replied.

"Headmaster, I cannot believe you would make such a suggestion! I will never allow Hermione near those people. I really have to wonder about your priorities!"

Harry's anger summoned Hermione to his side. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him briefly before turning to the headmaster.

"Headmaster, I must insist that you stop upsetting my husband! This is our wedding, a time for celebration."

Hermione's magic joined with Harry's as a palpable wave hit the headmaster and he stumbled briefly. That was shocking. He had heard of soul bonded individuals having strong magic connections, but had never witnessed such. He shook his head.

"My apologies to both of you. I am just a worried, old man. I will be glad when you return to the safety of Hogwarts."

Harry nodded and pulled Hermione away from Dumbledore. There was a lot more the old man wasn't saying, but now was not the time. They turned and went to talk to Hagrid, who was having a lively conversation with an amused looking Jean Granger. They moved around, talking to friends for a bit longer when Neil announced the steaks were ready. The rest of the food was brought out to the two long tables as everyone settled in to enjoy the spectacular meal. Harry called Tonks and Frank over to join them and Tonks finally agreed, if they ate in shifts with the other remaining on guard. After the meal, Jean brought out the cake and Harry and Hermione went to the end of the table where they performed the ceremonial cutting and began to hand feed each other pieces. As Harry gave Hermione a piece, she took hold of his finger and delicately sucked all the frosting off of it. She winked mischievously at Harry as she did so and he felt a slight tightening in his pants. The seductive move brought a couple cheers from Seamus and Dean as several of the ladies laughed. Once the cutting was done, Jean moved to help pass cake around the table. Everyone talked for a bit longer and then Dumbledore and McGonagall announced that they needed to leave. The Weasleys followed not long after, followed by Hagrid. Finally, a bit after eleven, all of their friends made their departure as they headed back to Miranda's Shoppe and the floo. Harry offered to go with them, but Dean pushed him back, insisting he 'go enjoy his wedding night'.

With all the guests gone, Hermione and Harry thanked her parents and said goodnight as they made their way upstairs. Once they were in their room, Hermione pulled Harry toward her and looked into his eyes.

"Thank you for today my love. I had thought I would be fine without a wedding, but now I know better. This wasn't what I dreamed as a little girl. It was so much better."

A few tears began to roll down her face and Harry wiped them away gently as he began to plant small kisses all over her face. Their hands began to roam and slowly they started to toss clothing aside. Harry took a second to cast the charms on the room as he led Hermione to the bed. He laid her down gently and then placed himself over her as he began to trace kisses down her body. Hermione pulled him back up and kissed him deeply as her emotions poured into him and he knew her need. He continued kissing her slowly as he pushed into her. He pulled back just slightly as he began to lengthen his strokes, pushing back into her. He focused on her face and watching her pleasure as they made love. She gripped his bum and moaned in a way that made his cock twitch. She began to roll her hips in sequence with his movements as they both poured their emotions into each other. Time stood still as each found themselves in their own universe with nothing to do for eternity but love one another. Many long minutes later, each began to feel the familiar tightening as they began to come. When they climaxed together, they whispered each other's name as Harry pulled Hermione to him and held her tightly, letting the waves of pleasure envelop them both. Once they were done, they sunk back onto the bed. Harry never moved from his position over her, even though he softened and slipped out after a few minutes. They lay whispering to each other and lightly kissing for a while longer. Harry's arousal came back and they joined once again before finally sleeping. A couple hours later they woke and made love again. Then, as the sun glanced through the curtains in the early morning, they found themselves joining twice more. Both lost track of how many times they made love. Eventually hunger roused them from their bed and they went downstairs to find lunch. Neil and Jean left a note that they would be out for a couple hours, leaving the young lovers to collect their food and return to their bedroom. After feeding each other in bed, they made love once again and then decided to shower together. When they finally dressed and made their way back downstairs, Neil and Jean were just arriving home.

The rest of the day was spent at the cottage, reading and relaxing in the sun. Hermione's parents had taken care of returning the rented tables and chairs, and cleaning up from the party the night before. Hermione and Harry both thanked them for all they had done, while both parents assured them that they were happy to do so. They had missed the first soul bond, but both were thrilled to have been given a chance to give their daughter a wedding. Dinner was a simple meal outside at the grill before everyone retreated back to their rooms.

The final two days in Felixstowe were spent relaxing at the beach and touring around the small town a bit more. The simple vacation had turned into much more, but both couples were content and happy when they finally returned back home. Harry and Hermione had one more week to spend with Grangers before they made their way to the Burrow for the last couple weeks of summer. They settled back in and decided to enjoy the time with Neil and Jean as a family. After an initial rough introduction, they had welcomed Harry completely and he finally felt like he had a family.

 **A/N: I picked Felixstowe after looking at several English seaside towns for a nice village that didn't look too tourist driven and was a close drive from where I placed the Grangers house. I'm American and have never been to the area, so I hope my research captured the town well. If you know the place, I'd love to hear what you think of my depiction.**


	7. A Talk with Sirius

**A/N: Alright, much like I mentioned in my last chapter of Life's Interlude, my updates are getting spaced out. It may take a bit over my usual week to get updates out from now on. Both my stories are intensive and I'm having to average 15k words a week to keep up and it's a bit much. Never fear, I will finish, but this story will be a long one. Thanks to all my reviewers!**

Chapter 7 – A Talk with Sirius

Back at the Grangers, Harry and Hermione settled in for their last week with her parents. The time at the beach had been good, but now they had to focus on tasks for the summer. Harry's discussion with Dumbledore after the wedding still bothered him. There was definitely something more going on and he needed to know more. He had talked to Sirius as well, who said he needed to talk to Harry later. So, on their last day in Felixstowe, Harry had sent Hedwig to Sirius and arranged for him to come to dinner at the Grangers the day they got back.

Over the last days at the beach, Harry and Hermione had talked over everything that was happening and noticed a few things they hadn't correlated yet. First, their bond seemed to be settling in since they had managed to run separate errands for a couple hours apart and only felt a bit more tired than usual. Second, their magic seemed to have changed and grown. Harry's bit of spontaneous magic when he stopped Meggie from falling down the stairs was just one sign. Another example happened one morning when Harry's glasses had fallen off the night stand and he had been too asleep to look for them. Without thinking, he had cast a quick 'accio' without his wand and the glasses had zipped to his hand. Hermione had something similar when she was cooking one evening and, without thinking, summoned the salt across the kitchen. Neither of them fully understood what was happening. Was their magic growing, their skills improving, or were they somehow boosting each other? Maybe it was a combination. In addition to these events, their perceptions of each other had increased. They could now feel each other's emotions over longer distances and now would catch stray thoughts.

While these changes were all welcome, the afternoon after the wedding something else happened that put a damper on their joyful mood. Harry had been entering a shop with Hermione when his scar suddenly felt like it was being ripped open and he dropped to his knees, holding his head. He had had pains before, but nothing this bad had happened since the cemetery. Tonks had been on duty and had immediately appeared by the door, looking around for attackers as Hermione dropped to her knees next to Harry, trying to comfort him, but also feeling the pain to a lesser degree. A couple bystanders stopped as well, but Hermione passed it off as a migraine and they desisted. After a couple minutes, Harry was able to stand and stumble to an alley where Tonks quickly apparated them back to the cottage. She had called Dade and the old Auror had arrived with a couple potions to help with the after effects of the attack. They were better with the potions, but both were exhausted and decided to nap and relax in the back garden for the rest of the day. As they curled around each other, Hermione turned her head and kissed Harry's jaw as she checked on him.

"You feel better now love. Only a trace of pain left. I never understood what the scar does to you until I felt it myself. I can't imagine how you cope with it being so much worse than what I felt through you. Do you have any idea what triggered it this time? You haven't had anything except twinges all summer."

"I'm not exactly sure Mione, but whatever it was, he was very angry. I got a flash of some old house. I've never seen it before, so I assume the image came from him."

"Well, let's hope it doesn't happen again. We only have a day left of our vacation."

The next day, Harry had taken Hermione to see Miranda's Shoppe and thank the old witch for her assistance. Knowing that their story was already in the Prophet, Harry had happily introduced Hermione as his wife. The old lady was thrilled to meet her and quite astute when she complimented Hermione on her bouquet. While they were in the shop talking to Miranda, Hermione had been drawn to her small selection of books and one specifically caught her eye. The hefty tome was titled _Mind Magics_ and included extensive training as well as case studies on occlumency, legilimency and complementary seer abilities. The price was as hefty as the book, but Harry bought it, happy to support Miranda's small shop. They had started to read the book later that day as they sprawled on the beach and they both found it fascinating. Harry had never heard of the two most common mind magics before and Hermione had read about them only in passing. That evening they each started meditation exercises as they started the work to build up their shields.

The following day they found themselves back at the Grangers' home and Harry truly felt like he was coming home. Already in the short time during the summer, the house had become home more than the Dursleys' ever was. After unpacking and starting laundry, he and Hermione grabbed drinks and headed to the back garden to talk, with her taking the lead.

"Alright love, so now that we're home, we need to decide how to use the rest of our summer. We've got about five weeks left and we leave for the Burrow in a little over a week."

"Yes, I've been thinking a fair bit on the ride home. There's a lot more going on than we're being told and I want to get to the bottom of it. I wish I could talk to Dumbledore now. I wasn't about to interrupt our wedding celebration. I do think that we should keep working on Mind Studies. I need to stop Voldemort from invading my head."

"I've been thinking about that Harry. I don't understand it, but I think the connection might go both ways. I mean, you could feel what he was feeling. I think you might have been invading him as much as he invaded you."

"Well, maybe you're right, but I don't see him being dropped to his knees in mind shattering pain. Anyway, I want to study the Mind Magics and I think we should keep up our defense studies. I wonder who will be our new DADA teacher this year? I suppose whoever it is can't be worse than Lockhart or more boring than Binns. We have OWLs this next year, so it will be important what we study. I haven't given it a lot of thought yet, but I'm sure my brilliant wife has."

"Yes love. I think the usual list: Charms, Transfiguration, DADA, Herbology, History of Magic and Potions. Also, I think Ancient Runes, maybe Astronomy. I took Arithmancy, but I'm not sure if I want to continue with that. What do you want to take?"

"I'd like to keep the same classes as you. The six main of course, which we already share. I think I'm going to drop Divination. I don't know how much help Astronomy actually is. I'm not sure about Ancient Runes, you've already taken two years of that."

"Well, I think you should try Runes Harry. They're a cornerstone of magic. There are two class levels, one that third years started and one for those that started in fourth year. I think with my help and our connection, you can get caught up with those who are only a year ahead. Of course, it means we won't have that class together, but we can still study together."

"Alright, I'm sure with you to tutor me I'll manage, but I'm definitely going to skip Astronomy if I'm busy trying to catch up on Runes. I wonder though if I'll be allowed to start a year late."

"I think with me helping you we can get Dumbledore to allow it. There's also the fact that we wear the rings of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. I read the section on the founders in _Hogwarts: A History_ again and we have a lot of power over the school now. We have a controlling vote, so there is basically nothing we can't do within reason. We could even name a new headmaster."

"Wow. Really? That's quite a thought. Not that I would plan on using that power, but still. So, I guess we are decided. The six basic classes and add in Ancient Runes."

"That sounds good. I'm still not sure about Arithmancy. It's hard, but I already have two years study in it. I'll think on it. At least we can be separate more now."

"Agreed, now let's try the occlumency exercises."

They spent the rest of the afternoon studying mind magics, finding the quiet garden an ideal location to meditate. Both focused on organizing their minds and erecting shields. As he organized, Harry found an image of his mind appearing as if he was floating in a sea of bubbles. Each bubble was color coded to give him an idea of what type of memories it held. He could take hold of a bubble and pull it apart to reveal multiple small bubbles inside. He grabbed a bright yellow bubble and inside found smaller bubbles inside that contained some of his happiest memories. Brightest of them all was his first soul-bond with Hermione. As he thought of her, she suddenly appeared near him, almost translucent. Then a sound broke through the silence of his bubble world.

 _Harry, where are we? Am I dreaming?_

 _No love, this is my meditation. My thoughts are organizing into bubbles. I just viewed the memory of our soul-bond and was thinking of you when you appeared._

 _Hmm, I wonder if I can show you my meditation?_

Hermione faded out and Harry waved his hand to capture all the small yellow bubbles and put them back together into the large bubble. Then he felt something pulling on him and the bubbles all gradually faded as he found himself in a large library. Hermione was there, standing at a desk with several books laid out in front of her.

 _Wow Mione, I should have guessed. A library is perfect for your meditation._

 _Indeed Harry. I'm able to organize everything quite well here. I like that we can visit each other. I wish our mind speech was better when we aren't meditating. Anyway, I should get back to filtering through a couple memories._

Harry gave her a brushing kiss and then thought back to his own memories as Hermione's library faded and he was back in his bubble world. He began to think about shields and the environment influenced his thoughts as he envisioned a large, glass bubble. Then, thinking about it, he realized glass wasn't the right idea for a shield. He looked at the crystalline structure that now encompassed him completely and suddenly thought of diamond. He focused for a minute on turning his large shield bubble into the hardest diamond. Floating toward it, he reached the surface and tapped lightly. It held solid and he decided that he had made good progress for the day. Centering his breathing, he willed himself back out to the garden. When he opened his eyes, he found Hermione was still meditating and stayed sitting, watching her. A few minutes later her eyes opened and she smiled at him.

"So love, how did it go? Got your library organized?"

"Yes. And I decided to build a wall for a shield, but as I started envisioning the stones, I realized the roof was open. So I changed my image and moved the library inside a mountain. The image seems good, but we need to have someone test our shields."

"I agree. You saw my bubble world. I kept the theme and encased it in a diamond bubble. Or that's what I envisioned."

Harry pulled her close and began kissing her deeply. She was ready to take things further as he pulled back.

 _Sorry love, Sirius will be here before long._

 _Harry?_

"Wait, I didn't say that out loud did I?"

"No, but I heard you perfectly. That's the first full sentence that's come through our bond."

 _I love you Mione. And when my godfather leaves tonight I'm taking you upstairs to shag you senseless on every piece of furniture in the room._

Hermione giggled.

 _Oh really, senseless huh? There's a lot of furniture in the room, are you sure you have the stamina?_

Harry leered at her.

 _Wow, so it seems we unlocked mind speech as part of our exercises. I wonder how?_

 _I don't know for sure, but I think that since our subconscious minds have connected now it makes it easier. Anyway, you're right about it being almost dinner time._

Harry nodded and stood, giving her a hand up. They made their way into the kitchen, where Jean was starting a pot of couscous to go with the lamb that was in the oven. She asked Hermione to chop the vegetables, which she started to do.

"So dear, now that we're back, what are your plans for the rest of the time you're home? I'd love to say that your father and I will be around, but we can't take off much more time right now. Maybe we can manage an afternoon."

"That's fine mum, we understand. We're going to be busy working on some studying and exercises. The week off was fantastic, but it's time to get back to work."

Jean nodded and turned to Harry.

"So Harry, tell us a bit more about your godfather who'll be here in a while. I know you and Hermione explained that he was falsely accused and spent twelve years in prison. We saw him at the wedding, but he left fairly early and I never got a chance to really talk to him. He seemed to be nice enough when we were introduced, dressed quite well. How is he now? How is he handling being cleared?"

 _Shite! Sorry love, but how do I tell them that Sirius is still a fugitive? Should I? I mean, we agreed to be honest, but I don't want to risk him._

 _I understand. I think we need to tell them, but we also need to work on resolving Sirius' status. You're a lord now, even with the Ministry in the state it is, you should be able to submit pensieve memories. It's one of the things I wanted to discuss with him tonight._

 _Alright, so honesty, but maybe I can get an oath from your parents first. This mind speech is a big help, although you're mum is looking at us strange._

 _I agree on both counts love, but we better start talking out loud soon. Mum has that look._

Before Harry could speak, Jean broke the silence.

"What is up you two? You're looking at each other, but you haven't said a word."

"Jean, we agreed we could be honest and up front with you, right?"

"Of course son."

"Alright, well the first thing you need to know is that the meditation Hermione and I have been working on has unlocked a bit more of our bond. We don't need to talk out loud now."

"WHAT? Don't tell me you were just doing mind speech during that pause?"

Hermione nodded and Neil let out a low whistle while Jean paled. Eventually collected herself.

"Alright, well then I guess I'm glad we agreed to honesty. It's a bit intimidating though. So, is this normal with soul bonds?"

"Well mum, again there aren't a lot of recorded accounts, but it has been reported before."

"I see. Well, now that we've been shocked yet again, Harry can you tell us a bit more about your godfather?"

"As you know, his name is Sirius Black. Full name is Sirius Orion Black. Yes, the family was into constellations. He is the last heir to the most Ancient and Noble House of Black, one of the oldest wizarding families in Europe. He was my father's best friend, they were brothers in all but blood. You know the story of how he was wrongfully convicted and escaped and how we found the evidence that he is innocent. Now I have to tell you something else, but I have to ask on your oath to this family that what I am about to say goes no further than here."

Jean and Neil both goggled at Harry and then looked to Hermione, who was drawing her wand.

"Mum, dad, we need an oath. We'll stop talking now if you don't feel comfortable. And I'm going to put a magical bind on it. Not that I don't trust you, but this way no one else can forcibly extract information from you. Do you agree?"

"Damn, alright, this must be important. I'll agree. Jean?"

"Yes dear, I agree as well."

Hermione incanted as she began the spell weaving.

"Do you Neil Paul Granger and Jean Elizabeth Granger swear on your lives that all confidential information being divulged to you regarding Sirius Orion Black will remain only to you until you are released from this oath by Harry James Potter of Hermione Jean Potter?"

"So I swear."

"Yes, I swear."

Hermione finished the incantation as a pale light encompassed her parents for a moment.

"So mote it be."

As the light faded, Harry continued.

"Alright, thank you. Now, you need to know that Sirius has not been actually cleared of charges. He's still a fugitive in both the magical and muggle worlds. I plan on trying to resolve that soon with the Ministry, but there are no guarantees. That's why he stays in his home most of the time when he's in England."

Jean sat down on a stool while Neil rubbed his face.

"Well, that certainly will make dinner interesting. Alright son, anything else we need to know about your godfather? Unusual powers, anything like that?"

"Well, he's an animagus. He can turn into a large, black dog."

"And with that, I think it's time for some scotch." Neil announced as he made his way to the dining room bar.

Hermione looked at her mother, who still looked pale and shocked.

"Mum, are you okay?"

"Um, yes dear. Just a bit too many shocks. I understand that Sirius is innocent, but it's still difficult. So, Harry, you think you can clear him, how?"

"Well, there's a way that I can extract my memories from our confrontation with Pettigrew and the cemetery. Those memories can be placed in a pensieve to be viewed by members of the Wizengamot. Hermione thinks that now I'm a lord, I can push for a retrial."

"…extracting memories…huh…interesting" Jean mumbled, apparently confounded yet again my magic.

Hermione returned to the stove to check the pots as Neil returned with his scotch. Talk turned back to plans for studying during the week. About a half hour later, a knock sounded on the back door. Hermione went to answer it and Sirius stepped in. He greeted Hermione with a hug and then turned to his godson before being led in to meet the Grangers again.

"Sirius, I know you met briefly at the wedding, but let me make more formal introductions. Drs. Neil and Jean Granger, this is my godfather, Sirius Black. Sirius, these are my in-laws."

"A pleasure to see you again. This is a beautiful house. And really, pup, so formal?"

"Yes Harry, you know how we are about formality with family. Please, Sirius, if it's okay that I call you that? We're just Neil and Jean."

"Excellent! Yes, just Sirius please. And whatever is cooking smells fabulous."

"We're having lamb. It's almost done. You can actually thank Harry. He did the marinade on it and it looks incredible."

Harry went to check the lamb and pulled it out to rest while Neil poured a scotch for Sirius. A few minutes later the food was ready and taken to the dining room while everyone sat. The conversation over dinner was pleasant, with much of the talk focusing around the wedding ceremony. Sirius also regaled the Grangers with a few of the tamer tales of the Marauders. He was at his most charming and Hermione just smirked as her mother especially responded to the handsome rogue. With his hair cut, beard trimmed and clothes tailored to appear casual and effortless with a refined sense of wealth, Sirius was the picture of an aristocratic playboy. Once the meal was finished, they retired to the living room and talk took a more serious turn.

"Well, that was a most excellent meal. I must say pup, I didn't realize how good of a cook you are."

"Thanks Sirius."

"By the way Sirius, can I ask a personal question?"

"Certainly Neil."

"You keep calling Harry pup. He mentioned that you have an animal form, I forget what Hermione called it. Is that the reason for the nickname?"

Sirius grinned.

"Yes. I suppose now that he's legally an adult and married I should stop, but I still like it. My animagus form is a dog, thus he is my pup. Just a term of endearment. I called him that the day he was born. It was a glorious summer day. I can still remember getting the patronus from Prongs. He was so excited, I could barely understand what he said. I made it to the hospital right away, but the stubborn one here took another fifteen hours to make his appearance. They probably had to install new flooring at the hospital we did so much pacing. But then he arrived and I went back to see Lily and the baby and held him for the first time. I didn't even think about it, he was just pup from that moment."

Harry couldn't help himself as he wiped a tear. He had never heard the story of his birth before. He had no idea it had taken fifteen hours. Hermione pulled him closer as she sent him soothing thoughts. Sirius saw that Harry was upset and decided to change the tone.

"So Neil, Jean, want a animagi demonstration? It doesn't take long."

"Um, sure."

Sirius rose from his chair and stepped to the other side of the coffee table, where he immediately began to transform. Ten seconds later a large black dog stood in his place. The dog ran to the other side of the room and proceeded to pounce on Harry as he gave him a big swipe with the tongue.

"Eww. Padfoot, get off. Yuck!"

The dog ran around the room once and then stopped and Sirius transformed again. He was chuckling as Harry cast a scourgify on himself.

"Wow, that was certainly impressive."

"Thank you. Took us nearly three years to perfect the transformation. So, speaking of studies, how are your summer studies going you two?"

"Well we have all our homework done. We've been doing some additional work on defense and we also found a good book on mind magics that we've been studying."

"Yes, we've been working on meditation to help with occlumency. After that we'll move to legilimency, although right now it seems more important to block our thoughts, especially for Harry. As an interesting part of the meditation, we were able to communicate with each other while meditating. We figured that, even though Voldemort has been quiet for now, we know he's busy building up forces and we need to do what we can to start preparing."

"Especially since he seems to be focused on me. I know I somehow defeated him as a baby, but there is some reason he keeps targeting me. And I think Dumbledore knows more than he lets on. I plan on having a serious discussion with the headmaster soon."

"About that Harry, that's part of the reason I wanted to talk to you. Hold on a moment."

Sirius stood up and cast around the room. Harry recognized most of the spells he cast. A couple were detection charms and then an enchantment marker. Once he seemed satisfied, Sirius cast several privacy shields around the room. Jean was looking concerned once again at the level of security he felt was necessary.

"Alright pup, now that I know no one is listening in, we need to talk. I assume you don't mind if Neil and Jean are here?"

"No Sirius. We're family."

"I understand. You deserve to have a good family. Unfortunately I have not been able to be that for you as I wished. Alright, so to begin, you are correct that Dumbledore knows more than he says. He feels he is orchestrating everything for the light, but he is still just a man and he is not infallible. I don't agree with him on several points and I am here to rectify that. He has an organization called the Order of the Phoenix. It's a covert underground group with members hidden throughout the Ministry and in business. Our goal is to gather information and on occasion take small actions to neutralize certain individuals within Voldemort's ranks. I was part of the Order back during the first war and have taken up the cause again as much as possible given my current status. Dumbledore requires all of us to take a magically binding oath to the Order. This means that we normally cannot divulge information to those outside the Order. Except that in your case, I took an oath to you as your godfather before I took my oath to the Order. That means my oath to you takes precedent. I would prefer though that you not reveal that you know what I am about to tell you. At least for a while. Dumbledore still feels you are too young. Obviously I disagree."

"I understand Sirius."

"Alright, the first thing I need to explain is where I've been for the past couple months. Moony and I have been travelling on the continent trying to enlist support against Voldemort. Moony has been working within the werewolf populations. During the first war Voldemort enlisted many werewolves under his banner with the promise of fairness and equality if he took power. I don't know how they can be stupid enough to believe that, but it's not like our side has been very good to them. Anyway, we travelled together to France and then separated and moved on from there. My task was to use my fugitive status and natural charisma to build friendships within certain criminal elements. Nothing too extreme, but having operatives among small time crooks and con artists can prove useful. Now I'm back and confined in my house most of the time. Dumbledore would prefer I wasn't here and that I didn't leave for the wedding either, but he knows when not to push my limits. I missed fourteen years with you and I want to do what I can to help, even if it's not much."

Sirius paused to sip his drink and Jean spoke up.

"Sirius, you mentioned Moony, who is that, he's a werewolf? Hermione told us she had a teacher who was a werewolf. A man who was quite kind except for a few days out of the month. She said there's a potion to control it? I'm sorry, but to us werewolves are myth. Are there a lot of them?"

"Perhaps I need to explain more mum. Moony is the nickname for Remus Lupin. Much like Sirius' nickname is Padfoot because he turns into a dog and Harry's dad James was Prongs because his form was a stag. Werewolves are not myth, they are people afflicted with an incurable disease called lycanthropy. The disease is transmitted by being bit by a werewolf when they are transformed during the time of a full moon. Moony was bitten as a young boy. He attended Hogwarts thanks to Dumbledore, who implemented special safeguards for the few days out of the month that he was in the process of transforming. The actual transformation is for a day, but the couple days leading up to and out of the full moon cause werewolves to be quite temperamental. There is a potion, the wolfsbane, that lessens the impact of the transformation, making them less dangerous and unable to transmit the affliction. They still need to remain away from others during that time, but they are safer. Moony is a good man who is forced to live destitute, often taking menial jobs in the muggle world due to the fact that he gets sick for a few days out of the month. There is a lot of prejudice. If the Ministry would help them more and treat them decent, so many wouldn't be tempted to go to the other side."

"Excellent synopsis Hermione. Really pup, I don't know how you managed to bond to brains and beauty. Of course, I said the same to your father. Anyway, so now you know where I've been. I would have preferred to be back home where I could spend time with you, but obviously you've been in good hands. Now, we need to talk about Dumbledore. As Hermione mentioned, he was a good friend to Remus and allowed him an education where others would not. He has done many great things for our world, but I do not follow him blindly. I believe he has woven a web of deceit that he feels is for the greater good and I think his web has become snarled. For one thing, he should never have put you with the Dursleys, blood protection or not. I remember Lily talking about her sister and the oaf she married. She would have been furious to know that you were imprisoned with them for ten years. And trust me, your mother was one you didn't want to make angry. Brilliant, beautiful for sure and positively scary in her abilities if you got on the wrong side of her."

Harry chuckled and shot a look at Hermione. Sirius and the Grangers caught it and laughed.

"So the question I imagine you must have is why Dumbledore is so interested in you? Yes you defeated Voldemort once, but you could barely walk yet. Why keep protecting you? What can you offer that could defeat the greatest dark wizard of all time? This is something that has plagued me every night as I remember visiting your parents' house right after the attack. Dumbledore keeps things to himself, but in the last Order meeting he let something go. It's not much, but I think it may be the clue. Apparently there was a prophecy given shortly before you were born that marks you as the one to destroy Voldemort. I don't know the details, but apparently Voldemort heard part of the prophecy, but only part. Now he is trying to find the rest in case it holds more details. The prophecy is housed in the Department of Mysteries and the Order is now regularly guarding the hallway leading to it. I wish he would tell us more, but that is all I have for now. I know it's not the best news, but it should give you something to go on."

"A prophecy, like in Divination that Trelawney teaches? That's what made Voldemort attack when I was a baby? But Trelawney's a quack!"

"Perhaps, I don't know her. I do know that seer abilities are very real and very rare. Most people think it is quackery because many claim to have the abilities that only a few actually do. True seers are some of the most magical and most dangerous people. The legends say only one seer is born for every hundred years, but that may be an exaggeration."

Everyone was quiet for a moment, contemplating everything until Hermione broke the silence.

"Alright, so we know why Dumbledore thinks Harry is important. But what else is he up to and what is Voldemort up to?"

"Two very important questions my dear. For now I would recommend to keep on the path you are. Study defense and occlumency. Voldemort is known for breaking people through their minds. I would like to spend some time with you as well. Molly said you were due to come to the Burrow in a week, but the plan has been changed. She sent a letter, but I probably got here before the owl. There have been some vague threats and she and Arthur decided the Burrow needed it's wards strengthened. Until that happens, they've joined a couple other Order members staying at my ancestral home. The place needs a bit of work, but it does have lots of space. My movements are restricted, but if you join the others we'll have some time together. And, not to worry, the two of you will have your own room."

Harry and Hermione both blushed at the knowing look Sirius gave them.

 _So love, what do you think? Are you okay with going to Black Manor in a week?_

 _As long as I'm with you, I'm fine. And it will be nice to see the others._

"Alright Sirius, we're in agreement with going ahead with our planned departure in a week, but with a different destination. Is that alright Neil and Jean?"

The Grangers both nodded while Sirius looked at Harry curiously.

"Pup, you said you were in agreement? What do you mean? You didn't ask Hermione."

"Well, actually I did. Our recent mind magic meditation techniques have pushed our bond further. We can manage mind speech between us now."

"Really? Bloody brilliant! Oops, sorry Neil and Jean. Anyway, that's a fantastic development. Build up your shields and you'll have a definite advantage there. It will be great to have you at the old house. I much prefer it full of people. When I was there all alone with just Buckbeak, I'm afraid I got a bit morose."

"Buckbeak?"

"Yes mum, Buckbeak is the hippogriff I told you about that we freed Sirius with. Half eagle, half horse."

Jean just nodded, while Neil chuckled.

"I'd like to see some of these creatures sometime. The stuff of legends come to life."

"Well, unfortunately we have bigger problems than magical creatures, but the Order is working on trying to stay a step ahead of the Death Eaters. Of course, if the Ministry would acknowledge that Voldemort is back, it would help."

"Speaking of the Ministry Sirius, there's something else I wanted to discuss. Now that I've taken my title, Hermione says I can submit evidence to the Wizengamot for you. They wouldn't listen to me as an underage student, but now I think I'm going to try to push for a pensieve review of my memories and get you cleared. I think I'll also arrange a viewing of what happened in the cemetery."

"Really pup? If you can manage, that would be fantastic. The Ministry has been more bull headed than usual lately though. Still, as a lord you might be able to force it. Tell you what, work on your shields for another week and we'll discuss it then. Now, I have to thank you Neil and Jean for a wonderful evening, but my curfew is almost up. If I miss it, the Order will be out to find me. I'll see you and the missus in a week pup."

Harry rolled his eyes at his godfather's teasing and stood to give him a hug. Sirius shook the Grangers' hands and then hugged Hermione as well before stepping into the backyard to apparate. Once he had left, Harry turned back to Hermione and pulled her into his arms.

"Well, he certainly gave us a lot to ponder."

"Indeed."


	8. Confronting Dumbledore

Chapter 8 – Confronting Dumbledore

The following week at the Granger house was spent with Harry and Hermione studying and practicing physical defense, as well as spending a couple hours a day working on meditation exercises. They worked to strengthen their shields, but still weren't sure just how well they were doing since they hadn't been tested yet. They also worked on legilimency and thought they were making progress since they were able to pick up more surface thoughts around them. Still, they never wanted to delve too deep and had no one else magical around to really judge by. They did find that being in a public place such as the market and opening their legilimency was quite distracting with dozens of people's scattered surface thoughts bombarding them. They both made a point to perform the test at different times and work on sorting and managing the effect.

The Grangers were busy most days at the office, leaving the young couple to themselves to study and run an occasional errand in the neighborhood with an Auror escort. On Friday, Neil and Jean managed to clear their schedule in the afternoon to spend time with Harry and Hermione before they left the following day. They decided to go to a local folk arts and music festival in a neighboring town. The day was perfect weather and they enjoyed the time to relax and temporarily forget about the worries of the magical world. As they walked across a parking lot to prepare to leave, they passed a young couple who were having an argument. Although Harry couldn't hear what was being said, it was impossible not to pick up the feelings being broadcast. Worst of all he felt a palpable wave of fear from the young woman. When Hermione grabbed his arm, he knew she felt it as well. Deciding to try something that he wasn't sure about, but felt he had to do, Harry pushed his mind toward the man. He found only basic natural shields and pushed past them quite quickly. Inside the young man's mind, he found a great deal of hatred, as well as some kind of substance addiction. Unsure how to deal with it all, he pulled Hermione in with him and together they projected feelings of love and acceptance, as well as a sense of protection toward the woman. They were unsure if what they were doing was correct, or even legal, but the argument seemed to suddenly cease and the man stopped and knelt down to embrace the woman. Knowing they had done all they could, Harry and Hermione turned back to join her parents, who were watching.

 _Well that was interesting love. I don't know how long it will last, but at least I feel we made a bit of a difference._

 _I hope so. I don't know if that was legal, but he was so open that I felt I didn't have a choice. Thanks for helping me._

Jean raised an eyebrow at them as they got in the car.

"Um, did you two do something back there?"

"Yes mum, a bit of mind magics work. The man was projecting and quite open. Harry initiated it and then brought me in. We calmed him for now. I don't know how long it will last. There are a lot of layers to that couple's problems. Still, it feels good to do what we can. It's a new aspect to magic for me."

"I really wouldn't have forced myself in if the man had tighter shields and wasn't broadcasting so loud."

"I'm sure son. It's just another amazing facet of your skills."

They arrived home that evening and had a quiet dinner before heading upstairs to finish packing to leave the next morning. Harry had so much more than when he had arrived at the beginning of summer that he had to use a suitcase in addition to his trunk and decided that both he and Hermione could stand to get new trunks with more space. Once they had everything gathered, they curled up in bed and talked for a few minutes before beginning to kiss and fondle each other. It didn't take long for their skimpy summer sleeping outfits to be scattered around the room as Harry spread his wife's legs and dipped his head down to begin pleasuring her. They each opened their minds to each other and slowly let themselves merge mentally as he brought her close to her peak. This was something they had been working on throughout the week and this night they seemed to reach a perfect merge as Harry was able to feel every nuance as Hermione approached her climax. When he sensed her on the edge, he pulled his tongue out of her and moved up her body as he thrust his erection solidly into her. Looking in her eyes and with their minds merged, they each felt the other's bliss as Harry set a steady pace that Hermione met. When they climaxed together minutes later, they felt their own orgasms as well as each other in a reverberating cycle back and forth. Harry didn't soften immediately as he kept up his rhythm and drove them both to a second peak. Making love while completely open in mind, body and soul was an even more amazingly profound experience than they had ever had and both collapsed and passed out still joined together. At some point while they slept, Harry slipped out of his love, but they stayed entwined together until the alarm summoned them the following morning. When they awoke, the memories of their merge caused both to grin foolishly at each other.

 _That was the most incredible feeling last night. I love you so much Mione._

 _Yes my love. I didn't think you could give me more joy than you have already, but that was beyond. Definitely a new level to our bond._

They kissed for a couple minutes, but then regretfully pulled apart due to their time schedule. They arrived downstairs forty minutes later and enjoyed a last breakfast with the Grangers for a while. They promised to send Hedwig with notes and Neil and Jean promised to come visit as Sirius had suggested. As they were all hugging, Sirius arrived in the backyard, ready to side along apparate them to his home. The Aurors had been notified already and Tonks wished them well before they left. The apparition went smoothly with the three of them and their luggage all landing in an alley along a residential street of large townhomes. They appeared to be in a prosperous London muggle neighborhood. As they looked around, Sirius turned and looked at both of them.

"My home is under the Fidelius charm. I'm the secret keeper and no one can see the house unless I tell them where it is. The manor of the most Ancient and Noble House of Black is at number 12, Grimmauld Place, London."

As Sirius said the words, Harry looked up and saw something amazing. Between two of the townhouses that had been in front of them, another was pushing its way between them, causing the others to move to the side. Harry and Hermione were still adjusting as Sirius grabbed a suitcase and Crookshanks' carrier and gestured for them to follow him. They reached the front stoop and Sirius led them into a dark paneled foyer and entry hall of what had most likely once been a grand home. Unfortunately, the house had seen better days and the place was in need of a good bit of remodeling and cleaning. Sirius waved the door shut behind them and welcomed them in.

"Welcome! I know the place doesn't look like much, but it has plenty of space and it's about as secure as we can get. I plan on redecorating soon as well. Now your room…"

Sirius was unable to continue as what sounded like a herd of elephants came down the stairs. Looking up, they saw the four youngest Weasleys charging down, yelling greetings at them. Then another voice broke through the chaos.

"BLOOD TRAITORS AND MUDBLOODS BESMIRCHING THE HOUSE OF BLACK! LEAVE MY SIGH…"

The tirade was cut off suddenly by Sirius who had cast a silencing spell on a large portrait of an angry woman that hung over the stairs.

"Uh, sorry about that. May I introduce my dear mum, Walburga Black. Unfortunately we haven't figured out how to unstick her portrait yet. The spell will last for a couple hours. It's best to remain quiet in the hallway if you can."

The Weasleys had reached Harry and Hermione and were passing out hugs and backslaps. Then Molly Weasley came in from the kitchen.

"Ah, welcome dears! I heard you met Walburga. It's so good to have you here. I wish we could be at the Burrow, but right now it's safest here. Ronald, why don't you show the Potters to their room."

Ron nodded and reached to grab a suitcase as he waved for them to follow. Sirius put a hand on Harry's shoulder and smiled at him.

"Go ahead and get settled in. I'll be up in a few minutes and we can talk."

Ron led them up to the third floor and showed them into a large bedroom with an attached bath. The room looked cleaner and brighter than the hallways had and was decorated in Gryffindor colors. Harry knew that Sirius must have redecorated it recently. Ron left them to unpack and the first thing Hermione did was let Crookshanks out. The cat immediately sniffed the air and then darted out the door to start exploring. Just as they were opening their trunks, a tapping on the window alerted them to Hedwig's arrival. Harry grinned and went to let her in as he set her cage on top of a dresser.

"Hey girl. Excellent timing as always."

Hedwig preened at the praise and the head scratches Harry offered her. He turned back and joined Hermione with the unpacking. They were almost done when Sirius arrived in the doorway.

"Hey! You left the door open, so I guess I can come in? I see you're almost unpacked. How do you like the room?"

"It's excellent, thanks Sirius."

"Glad you like it. I decided to start up here with banishing the snakes and all the Slytherin green. Not that I won't have some green around, but there are other colors. Ginny already has ideas on some of the redecorating. I'll warn you, don't get her started on the subject. I'm tempted though to hand her a bag of galleons and tell her to have fun. She does seem to have an eye for it and anything would be an improvement."

"So Sirius, how long has this been your family home? Is this where you grew up?"

"Yes, primarily. We had a summer place near Puddlemere. A bit of farmland and plenty of space for boys to get in trouble. Those are my best memories. The few weeks each summer we spent there. Most of the time we were here in the city, where my father had his businesses. The house has been in the family for around 240 years. As you can tell by my mother's warm welcome downstairs, it wasn't always a happy home. My parents were from the true old pureblood stock, complete with a long list of rules and expectations. As soon as I sorted into Gryffindor, I failed them completely. I came home for a couple weeks each summer and then fled to the Potters' as soon as possible. When I was sixteen I gave up completely and never returned."

"Wow. I guess I can understand why staying here is so hard then. Maybe once things are secure, you can come to the Potter estate. I'm told it's called Druimoor. I haven't been there yet."

"Well, you are in for a treat. Druimoor is spectacular. The countryside around Exmoor is truly beautiful. Your grandparents always planned for James and Lily to live there with their children. There's room for several generations. Unfortunately, they decided to pick an unknown spot in Godric's Hollow when they went into hiding. I know you're still young, but some day I'd love to see you take the place back. Do you know if the house elves are still caring for it?"

"No. Our account manager said they both had passed. They were apparently quite old. I'd love to see the place."

"I understand pup, but I'm sure it's under regular surveillance by Death Eaters. I know this old house is nothing in comparison, but I prefer to keep you alive and safe. My family's dark leanings do have the side effect of having provided layers of protections and wards through the centuries. It's what makes the place a perfect headquarters for the Order. By the way, there is a full Order meeting tonight. Molly usually banishes the children upstairs. The twins have a listening device that they used for a few days, but she figured out how to block it. Dumbledore will be leading it of course and usually arrives a few minutes before. Did you plan on talking to him right away?"

 _What do you think love? Too soon?_

 _No Harry, I think the sooner the better. You need to catch him off guard. You've been thinking about what to ask him for weeks now._

"Sirius, we think we may try to catch Dumbledore right away and catch him off guard. Also, can we attend the Order meeting? Will we need to take an oath?"

"Sounds good. As for attending, you'll have to take that up with the old man. I'm sure Molly will pitch a fit. She didn't let the twins join, despite them having just come of age."

"Well, I love Molly and all she's done for me, but I'm a legally married adult now. She has to cut loose at some point."

Sirius snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, on to more realistic topics. How is your defense training going?"

Harry looked to Hermione and gave her a nod to join in.

"Overall defense is about the same as a week ago. It's hard to practice and not destroy dad's shop. The dummies we built out of pipes and old junk are fairly destroyed and beyond repair. We think we're doing well with the mind magics, but we can't know for sure until our shields get tested and we find someone to test against. Even though we can do magic now outside school, we've been limited by being in a muggle environment."

"I understand and have some good news for you. One of the few areas where my father and I were able to work together was defense training. He felt it was a good activity to channel the energies of young boys and we have an arena in the basement, including magical training dummies. Reg and I beat them up badly and they still repaired after, so you can give them a go. As for the mind magics testing, I've never been much of an Legilimens. You may hate the idea, but Snape will be here tonight. I'd pick him or Dumbledore to test you. I am better at Occlumency. It's a good skill to develop in prison. If you want to give my shields a go, feel free."

Harry and Hermione traded a look before Harry turned back to his godfather.

"Are you sure Sirius? Also, who's Reg?"

Sirius let out a barking laugh.

"I keep forgetting how much I need to tell you. We have a lot of catching up. Reg was my brother. Two years younger than me. Regulus Arcturus Black. Younger and Blacker than me by far, he was my parents' favorite. Sorted into Slytherin before the hat ever settled onto his head. He was everything I refused to be. Despite that, in our younger years we were quite close. Perhaps it was growing up in this old house with just ourselves and our warring parents. He chose to follow the Dark Lord and then tried to second guess the decision. He died during the first war. My parents actually had disowned me when I ran off to live at the Potters', but when they passed suddenly not long before Reg, they never modified their wills and their black sheep became Lord Black. I find it ironic as hell. Anyway, enough strolling down memory lane. Give my shields a go and see what you can find for yourself."

Harry nodded and took a deep breath as he centered himself, feeling for his internal well of magic. Settling into his own thoughts, he pushed out toward his godfather and immediately hit a wall. Focusing, he reached deeper and pulled on his magic harder than he ever had in his exercises. Then he pushed forward at the wall and felt it crumble. Suddenly he was engulfed in memories of two boys running down the stairs he had climbed just a short while ago, a house elf in tow. Next, a memory of a quiet and very formal dinner in the dining room he had glimpsed briefly downstairs. A few more memories flashed by, but they became hazy as he felt himself being pushed back. Drawing again, he fought to delve deeper. Then he reached for Hermione and pulled her in with him. Between them they crashed into the deepest levels of Sirius' mind and the hardened wizard dropped to his knees, screaming and holding his head. Realizing what he had done, Harry pulled back quickly, but carefully. He felt Hermione separate from him and then his eyes came into focus as he saw Hermione cross the room to Sirius and lay her fingers on his temples.

 _Harry, help me. We haven't practiced that and we went a bit far. We need to ease him. I know the theory, but have never tried this._

Harry focused again and joined Hermione. This time he let her lead as they sent calming waves into Sirius while he did what he could to carefully put the pieces of the shield back up. It was still fragmented, but Sirius could repair it easier now. This time when he and Hermione separated their minds, they saw a smile on Sirius' face. They were both tired from the efforts, but Harry was relieved that there didn't appear to be any lasting damage.

"Sirius, we're sorry about that. We still need to practice. We have a lot of theory, but have never done that before. I decided to see how far I could go if we came in together. I went too far and I am truly sorry."

"Apology accepted, but not needed pup. I put up my strongest shields to challenge you. You broke past them on your own and even managed to fight me when I pushed back. What you need to understand is that there are different levels to each person's psyche. I'm no expert, but a basic explanation is that you can go through a number of layers until you reach a person's core. Most Legilimens never go that deep. If you reach the core, the deepest essence of a person, you can cause them permanent damage. You and Hermione have a bond that lets you pool your power and you touched my core. I thank you for pulling back immediately. I think you could actually reach that level on many people all on your own. You're quite powerful pup, but the two of you together are positively scary."

Despite Sirius' roguish grin, Harry shuddered at the idea of what he could have done. He definitely needed to train and refine his skills. Hermione felt his concern and wrapped her arms around him as she kissed his jaw. Her attentions distracted him and he turned to kiss her full on. The kiss got a bit carried away until Sirius began to chuckle.

"Alright, I can take a hint. Should I cast the silencing charm on the way out?"

Hermione pulled back from Harry and tried to scowl at Sirius, but found herself laughing at the look he was giving them.

"Never mind Sirius, Harry and I will continue this later. Let's go down and see everyone else."

Harry and Hermione spent the rest of the day catching up with their friends. They had seen them at the wedding, but had been too involved with the celebration to talk at length with the Weasleys. They didn't make any comments about their plans for evening when the Order arrived, figuring that they needed to catch everyone off guard. The meeting was planned for after dinner, with some of the Order arriving for the meal. Much to everyone's surprise, Luna Lovegood and her father Xenophilius arrived shortly before dinner. Harry and Hermione had seen Luna in the halls at school, but did not know her. The Weasleys on the other hand knew the Lovegoods better, as they lived over the hill from the Burrow. Luna was in Ginny's year, so Ginny knew her the best. Also joining them for dinner was Remus Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks, who entertained the table with her metamorph tricks. The meal was delicious as usual with Molly cooking, and Harry reveled in the frenetic family atmosphere. The Lovegoods were more than a bit odd, but Luna seemed quite nice and she and Ginny got along well. She was also quite pretty in a somewhat ethereal way. Harry caught Ron more than once staring at the blond Ravenclaw. Once everyone was well stuffed, Molly assigned cleanup duties and informed everyone not in the Order that they needed to head upstairs, including the Potters in her sweeping gaze. Harry took a breath and prepared himself for his reckoning with Molly Weasley.

 _Alright, here we go love._

 _Right here with you._

"Actually Molly, Hermione and I need to speak with Dumbledore and we'd like to participate in the meeting now that we're of age."

"What? No! You're too young, technicalities or not."

"Sorry Molly, but we're old enough to be married and I'm old enough to take control of my house and all its associated businesses. I am within my rights."

"Sirius, you're his godfather, talk some sense into the boy!"

"Molly, he is a boy no longer. Perhaps I could have wished for more of a childhood for him, but that was not the case. I agree with his decision."

Molly harrumphed and turned back toward the kitchen, clearly still not happy. When she returned and found Ron and Ginny still in the room talking to Harry and Hermione, she chose a new target.

"Alright, I may not be able to say anything about the Potters, but you two are mine and I order you upstairs now!"

Ron groaned and Ginny looked like she was going to blow a gasket until Luna took her by an arm and led her out of the room. Deciding to get clear of Molly, Harry took Hermione's hand and left for the living room, where the early arrivals had gathered after dinner. A few minutes later, Dumbledore arrived at around ten minutes to eight. He was about to settle in to wait for the others, when Harry stood and walked over to him.

"Professor, Hermione and I would like to talk to you in private before the meeting. Perhaps in the library."

Dumbledore was a bit taken aback by Harry's approach, as he calmed his mind and schooled his expression while also trying to project a firm confidence toward the headmaster. Judging by the old man's slightly raised eyebrows, he was glad to have at least partially succeeded.

"Alright Harry, we have a couple minutes. Lead the way."

Harry took Hermione's hand and strode out of the room, not noticing the questioning looks they left behind. When the three of them reached the library, Hermione closed the door and cast privacy charms. This also seemed to alert Dumbledore, but he waited patiently for Harry to begin.

"Professor, there are a number of items I wish to discuss with you. I know you and others still consider us young, but we are legal adults now and more mature than many our age. I ask that you keep this in mind when I present my questions. Hermione and I have been studying a lot over the summer, primarily working on defense since it seems obvious that I will need to face Voldemort and his Death Eaters in the future. The question that has been on my mind for several years is a simple one. Why me? I know that I am above average in talent, but certainly there are others of similar abilities. It has come to my attention that you have information that has been withheld from me due to my age. Specifically, information regarding a prophecy that Voldemort seems to lay stake in. I ask now for full disclosure from you. I'm old enough to know why I have been targeted. I have much more at stake now that Hermione and I have bonded."

Dumbledore let out a small sigh and went to take a seat. He carefully schooled himself, still a bit shocked by the line of questioning. He was hoping to have a couple years yet to put a few things in place and let Harry grow up. How had he found out about the prophecy? Despite his bonding, he was still so young. Harry had taken a seat across from him and pulled Hermione into his lap. The look on the young man's face was determined and Dumbledore realized that he had grown up quite a bit over the summer. Still, this didn't seem like the right time yet. After a minute of contemplation, he had his thoughts aligned enough to form a reply.

"Harry, I appreciate the reasons for your questions, but I ask that you be patient with me. There are still preparations to be put in place and I don't believe you should be put under the full burden of what you ask yet."

"Full burden? How much more of a burden do I need? I've faced Voldemort four times now. Has anyone other than yourself in the Order faced him as often as I have? How much of a burden was I under at the Dursleys as they used me as their slave while abusing and starving me for years?"

Harry was beginning to get angry and Hermione could feel his control slipping as she gently tried to calm him as Dumbledore continued.

"Come now Harry, I know your relatives were not the most ideal, but I think you exaggerate a bit. They took you in and cared for you for…"

Harry couldn't believe it. The old man really didn't have a clue. He supposedly had people watching him at the Dursleys. Were they really that blind? Yet Dumbledore still sat in front of him, trying to project a sense of calm with his grandfatherly half smile. That more than anything tipped Harry over the edge. He had meant to bring up the topic of mind magics next, but now he decided to force the subject forward. He felt Dumbledore gently probing him, trying to gauge Harry's feelings. Harry pushed him back easily from his shields and then closed his eyes briefly to center himself as he pushed farther, hitting Dumbledore's shields as he gathered his magic and pushed forward. The shields were quite strong, but his anger drove him and drew on all his magic to break through. Once he had conquered them, Harry didn't rifle through Dumbledore's thoughts. Instead he pushed his own memories into Dumbledore's consciousness. This was something he had only done a bit with Hermione. Now he showed the old man his first conscious memory at the age of not quite four when his uncle took a switch to him for breaking a glass while doing the dishes. Next he showed him the dusty cupboard that had been his room for most of his childhood. He flashed on through memories of being awakened early in the morning to cook for the family and then being sent away with a single piece of toast for himself. He showed himself arriving at school wearing clothes that were ten sizes too big and being teased relentlessly to the point that he somehow magically transported himself to the school roof. The memories went on, all the way to the madness that Uncle Vernon displayed when his Hogwarts' letters began to arrive. As each successive memory sank into Dumbledore, his face sagged as his eyes showed realization for the first time. Finally he pulled out and left Dumbledore sitting speechless before him. It took a few minutes before he spoke again.

"Gods Harry. I'm sorry. I should have known. Do you realize what you just did?"

"Yes sir. It's called Legilimency. As part of our defense studies, Hermione and I have been working on mind magics this summer. I think we're making good progress, but we haven't had a chance to really test ourselves."

"Harry, the last person to break my shields was Voldemort when we fought during the first war, not long before your parents were killed. Even then he only broke them for a few seconds before I put them back up. No one has done what you did since I was a young man. I will have quite a headache for a while."

Hermione got up off Harry's lap and went to the headmaster. Putting her fingers on his temples, she gently massaged both physically and mentally as she had been practicing. She felt some of the old man's shields starting to rebuild as he let out a small sigh before looking up at her with surprise.

"Thank you Hermione. I see you have also been busy studying this summer. Tell me, were you in the merge when Harry broke through my shields?"

"Only on the periphery. Harry didn't draw on my power, although he could have if he needed to go further."

"Further? Well, I thank you for not doing so. I don't think I could have handled that. So does that mean that you can pool your magics as I suspected you might someday be able to do when you bonded?"

"Yes, although we are still refining the technique."

"So professor, now that you know what we've been working on and you better understand what I've been through, do you really consider me too young to know my own destiny?"

A silence enveloped the room for a couple more minutes before Dumbledore shook his head and replied.

"I suppose not Harry, but I warn you this will be quite difficult. I also ask that after I tell you this you guard the knowledge carefully. A year before you were born I met with an individual who was applying to be the Divination professor at Hogwarts. I was skeptical of this person, but she was the great-granddaughter of a noted seer, so I gave her a chance. The interview was not going well and I was about to leave when she slipped into a trance and actually delivered a true prophecy. This is what she told me:

 **The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...** "

Dumbledore let his words trail off as he watched Harry and Hermione absorb the words. Hermione sagged at first and then her face hardened as her resolve returned. She was still thinking as Harry finally responded.

"So the prophecy means me? I have to die to kill Voldemort. Are you certain?"

"As best I can tell Harry, unfortunately yes. Of course, this seer has only given the one confirmed prophecy and I certainly hope to find a way to defeat it. It mentions three ways to identify the one who will vanquish him. First, the parents must have thrice defied him. That applies to your parents and one other couple. Second, being born as the seventh month dies. Your birthday of course is the 31st. The other couple who the first qualifier applies to had a son as well, born one day before you. It is the third qualifier that narrows the list from two to one. He will mark him as his equal. Voldemort fulfilled that part of the prophecy when he gave you the scar. He picked which baby would grow up to try to vanquish him."

"July 30th, a day before Harry, that's Neville's birthday!"

"Indeed Hermione. Frank and Alice Longbottom were in the Order of the Phoenix during the first war and they were the others who defied the Dark Lord thrice. But Voldemort picked Harry for whatever reasons he decided that he was the more likely candidate to fulfill the prophecy."

"But how did he learn about the prophecy. Did the seer tell him?"

"No Harry, I don't think Trelawney would. And if my timelines are correct, I believe she has been employed at Hogwarts since you were a baby. Professor, is that why you keep her around?"

Dumbledore nodded his head.

"Right on all counts yet again Hermione. I know many doubt her skills, but for the sheer fact that she gave this one prophecy, I find it necessary to keep her close. While Divination cannot truly be taught, my hope is that the class at least introduces the basics so that students may be somewhat familiar with the art and perchance we may find a true seer someday. As for how the Dark Lord found out, there was a spy in the inn when I was conducting the interview. Fortunately the spy heard only half the prophecy, leaving Voldemort with only a half truth."

"So the prophecy is why my parents were targeted? They were killed because of me?"

"No Harry, they were killed because an evil madman is seeking to take control of the wizarding world."

The room grew quiet again as Harry struggled with the new truth and Hermione did her best to comfort him. As she spoke to him in his mind, something else occurred to him and his eyes flew open.

"Professor! My bond with Hermione. What happens to her if I die?"

"I can't say for certain Harry. Soul bonds are so rare. I would imagine your death would prove fatal for her as well. The few instances that have been recorded indicate that is the case."

Harry felt a numbing grief wash over him. If it was just him he would gladly sacrifice himself to rid the world of Voldemort, but to take Hermione with him? How could he ask that? But how could he let Voldemort continue? He pulled Hermione tight in his lap and began to rock them. Dumbledore looked on with a pained expression, wishing he could comfort them, but understanding there was no way he could truly know what their bond meant. Eventually it was Hermione who sat up and took hold of Harry's face, looking deep in his eyes and speaking out loud.

"Harry James Potter! You snap out of this right now! This prophecy is just one potential future. We will find a way around this. I always said Trelawney was a quack. Maybe she isn't completely, but one prophecy in a lifetime does not make her word law. We have more information than we did before and now we will work on a solution. I will not let you die, at least not for a good many years."

Harry smiled and kissed his wife deeply, drawing strength from her. He wasn't as optimistic as she was, but for her he would fight. He turned back to address Dumbledore again.

"Thank you for finally telling me the truth Professor. I still am not completely happy with the way you have handled things, but I plan to move forward from here. Is there anything else I need to know? Do you have any ideas on how Voldemort can possibly be defeated? He should have died already. How has he stayed alive?"

"Ah Harry, those are indeed good questions. But those questions will take some time to answer and I am still researching them myself. Perhaps in time we can discuss this again."

"I suppose the meeting has already been delayed, so I will wait for now. But I will not wait for long. You have made enough mistakes Albus Dumbledore. I hope you will do your best to correct those and work with me to defeat Voldemort and save our lives."

Harry's strength had returned as he lightly pushed against Dumbledore's fragile shields. The old man nodded as Harry pulled back.

"I suppose I deserve that. You have my apologies Harry, although I know that will not be enough. When you return to school perhaps we should meet and discuss this further. I will do what I can to repair our relationship. I do ask that you guard this information for now, even from your friends. The Order knows there was a prophecy given about you, but not the details. You are not the only one I kept this from."

"Understood. If you truly keep your word and work with me, I believe we can mend what has happened, but I expect to be treated fairly and equally. As for guarding the information, I've been working on Occlumency as well. Why don't you test my shields?"

The words were barely out of Harry's mouth when he felt the assault hit him. It was sudden and fierce, causing lights to bloom in his eyes briefly. He felt a small fracture as he immediately began to push Dumbledore back, drawing on all his reserves. He was about bring Hermione into his mind to help when the old man pulled back and gasped. He quickly analyzed his shields and found them fractured in several places, but not broken.

"Well Harry, I think I feel safe with the knowledge I've shared with you. You have some of the hardest shields I have every witnessed. I could have pushed harder, but it would have drained me completely. Did you draw on Hermione at all?"

"No. I was thinking about it before you pulled back."

"Truly impressive. I think even if Voldemort pushed you completely he wouldn't get far for long and with the two of you together, you might even be able to push back into him. And you've only been studying for a couple weeks? Keep working on it and you will singularly be a match for him."

"How about me Professor, can you test my shields? I constructed them a bit differently."

"Perhaps another day Hermione. Between the assault I received earlier and the effort I just applied, I need to recover a bit. I would suspect that you're quite well shielded though. And if you called for Harry to help, then I am more than assured. Now, I appreciate why we needed to have this discussion and come to terms, but I have a good many people gathered to meet tonight. Is there anything else that you need to discuss immediately?"

"Only that we wish to take part in the Order meetings. I know we're young, but we feel we've earned the right."

"Well, some may not agree, but I'll allow it. Call this a first small step to rebuilding our friendship. I won't induct you fully into the Order yet, but I will allow you to sit in as long as you take a privacy oath."

Harry and Hermione both nodded and then took a brief oath that Dumbledore administered. With that done and many disturbing thoughts still swirling in their heads, they left the library and went to join their first meeting with the Order of the Phoenix.


	9. Grimmauld Place

Chapter 9 – Grimmauld Place

The next couple of weeks passed uneventfully for Harry and Hermione. They spent several hours a day training with Sirius in the basement training and exercise rooms. Along with defense training, they worked on running on a magical device that was much like a treadmill, as well as weight training. Ginny decided to join them, figuring it would get her in shape for Quidditch. Ron wasn't as enthused by the idea, but after Harry beat him in an impromptu wrestling match one evening, he decided it would be a good idea to try to keep up. Luna visited regularly with her father and sometimes joined them as well. Sirius seemed to thrive during the sessions, having something to do to pull himself out of the depression that had settled with his confinement. He was in good shape for his age and pushed each of them to their limits. Harry and Hermione also spent an hour or so each day in meditation, working on their mind magics. Ginny tried to join them, but found the subject difficult and gave up after a couple days. When Luna visited she always joined and seemed to be a natural at the subjects. As they got to know her better, it became obvious how brilliant she was. Luna also seemed to have the ability to grasp intricate cause and effects in subtle clues and news. At times her insights almost seemed to border on seer abilities. After a particularly enlightening discussion with her one day, Hermione decided to discuss it with Harry that evening.

"So love, what do you think about Luna? Full of surprises isn't she?"

"Indeed. I never would have seen the link between those reports in the Prophet about the Parkinson business handover and linked it to Voldemort taking tighter control of Death Eater assets. I mean the mention in the Prophet was only about three sentences and from that she seems to know the far reaching impact for a number of the old pureblood families."

"I know and I've been thinking about Luna for a while now. She always seems so disconnected and out of reach, but I think I may understand better now. I think she sees so much more than the surface level that she has a hard time staying connected to the everyday mundane. Part of me is curious what it would be like to see inside of her head and part of me is scared to even think of trying."

Harry laughed and pulled Hermione into a hug.

"I hadn't thought of it that way, but your probably right. No one really gives her the credit she is due. We would all be smart to pay closer attention."

Hermione nodded and then all thoughts of Luna were temporarily banished as Harry kissed her soundly. She would have been happy to continue, but they only had a few minutes until dinner and Arthur had just left to retrieve her parents. The Grangers had visited a couple of times since they arrived at Grimmauld and had happily accepted Molly's offer for dinner. A few minutes later, Arthur arrived back with Neil and Jean, who were looking only moderately unsettled. It seemed that they were adjusting to apparating. They both embraced Hermione and Harry before settling into the living room with glasses of wine while they talked to everyone.

The last twelve days of summer break were spent much the same at Grimmauld. Despite security restrictions, Harry refused to be locked up in the old house continually and made a point to take Hermione out to dinner a couple of times, as well as visiting the Grangers. They also made trips to Diagon Alley for supplies, as well as stopping at Gringotts to discuss Harry's business dealings. They were tense whenever they were out, always being on the alert, but the breaks were necessary for their sanity. A couple of times they managed to take Ginny and Ron along, although Molly insisted on going as well and kept a tight rein on them all. During one of their shopping trips, Harry rectified the problem of his overflowing trunk. He and Hermione stopped in Notions and Novelties, a general goods store with a wide range of mundane and odd wizarding supplies. In the store they found a matching set of beautiful trunks bound in burgundy leather with brass fittings. The trunks were only slightly larger than their current ones, but included a charm whereby the size was tripled. Each trunk had three holes near where a lock would normally be. The trunks were keyed to both their wands, allowing them access to each other's if needed. By placing the tip of one of their wands in one of the three holes, separate compartments in the trunk would open, each being the same size as the trunk appeared externally. The trunks also included a permanent lightening charm. Since they were buying two together, the shop also included complementary monogramming in gold script near the locks. Since each of them had the same initials of HJP the shop included an extra flourish detail around Hermione's monogram so that they could tell them apart. When they returned to Grimmauld, they immediately cleaned out their old trunks and began to transfer some of the school supplies they had already bought.

With the trunks and other supplies purchased, the fact that they were nearing their return to Hogwarts for their fifth year became even more real. Harry and Hermione had had the best and most remarkable summer of their lives and were a bit sad to see it end, but both looked forward to being back in school and seeing the rest of the friends. A lot of questions still remained and the future was uncertain, but they were determined to tackle it together. They had talked at length and agreed that another session of questioning with Dumbledore was due. He still knew much that he wasn't disclosing and it was past time for him to level with them completely.

Before the Potters and Weasleys were quite ready, September 1st had arrived. Everyone was up early to finish packing last minute items and eat a hurried breakfast before departing for King's Cross. The Auror department had decided that Ministry cars were the safest way to transport them all and Harry was pleased to see Tonks was one of the Aurors assigned to accompany them. They took two cars to fit all of them and all their trunks, brooms and animals, but they all made it to the station with plenty of time to spare. Neil and Jean were already waiting and Harry and Hermione took them by the hands and helped them through the barrier to platform 9 ¾, so that they could join in the familial goodbyes. The platform was frantic with activity and a number of friends came along to say hello, including Luna who hadn't been to Grimmauld in over a week. Soon the first warning whistle was blowing and everyone traded final hugs before all the students climbed into the next to last car and claimed a compartment. Minutes later they all waved goodbye as the Hogwarts Express began to steam them onward, back to school.

ooOOOOoo

 **AN: Sorry this is short. I promise a longer chapter next time. I've been having a bit of a block, but this seemed to be a good place to stop this for now.**


	10. Umbridge and the Founders

Chapter 10 – Umbridge and the Founders

The welcoming feast for the new year was as sumptuous as ever, but was marred by the imploring words of the Sorting Hat's song and Professor Dumbledore's speech after. The headmaster was only a few words into his introduction to the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor when the woman interrupted him. The woman dressed in a hideous pink confection made it quite clear that the Ministry was interfering with Hogwarts and Harry had to suppress his anger and nausea as the woman spoke. Then his lovely wife's soothing voice invaded his thoughts.

 _Well, it seems the Ministry may not believe Voldemort is back, but instead has decided to start interfering at Hogwarts._

 _Unfortunately so. Do you get as bad of a reading off that hag as I do love?_

 _Yes dear. She practically reeks of disdain and prejudice. It will be interesting to see what her idea of DADA is._

As the Potters finished their mental conference, Professor Umbridge finally relented and yielded the floor back to the headmaster as the room just gaped at her. The headmaster seemed a bit flustered and Harry felt that didn't bode well for his standing up to the old toad. Soon announcements were complete and everyone was dismissed to return to their dorms. Since Harry and Hermione had their own apartment, they didn't need to follow along and instead walked toward the front to speak with the headmaster. As they reached him, Umbridge inserted herself in front of the headmaster with a simpering smile for them.

"Now children, I believe you were dismissed to your dorms. Is there a problem?"

Harry barely kept his rage in check, but let just a bit of magic leak and forced it towards the woman, who bristled and glared at him.

"There is no problem that you need to concern yourself with as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. My wife and I simply wish a few words with Headmaster Dumbledore. Also, I would appreciate your respect for the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. We are emancipated adults with all the rights and responsibilities that entails. We are _not_ children and I would expect that a Ministry official of your level would know how to properly address myself and my wife."

Umbridge was a bit stunned and, before she could formulate a reply, Harry stepped to the side to speak to the headmaster.

"Good evening Professor Dumbledore. As we discussed earlier in the summer, Hermione and myself need to meet with you on several matters. I'd like to allow sufficient time, perhaps an hour. Can you please tell me when you might be available?"

Dumbledore was about to reply when Umbridge intruded again.

"Really? You need an hour of the headmaster's time? I find that unlikely. Perhaps you should talk to the head of your house."

Harry turned back to the toad and this time he did not control his magic as he let it roll out of him and Umbridge began to skid across the floor. Harry just glared at her before tightening his control and ceasing the magic flow. He then turned back to stare at Dumbledore and await a reply.

"Yes Lord Potter, I should have time two days from now. I believe Herbology will be your last class that day. Shall we meet around three?"

"That sounds acceptable headmaster. Thank you for the time. Now, my wife and I need to get back and settled in our apartment."

Harry was about to turn when Umbridge approached them again. Hermione knew he was on the edge of fully losing it with the woman and was ready to intervene as Umbridge spoke.

"Apartment? What do you mean? You are members of Gryffindor house."

"You are correct professor, my husband and I are both proud Gryffindors. While we still align closely with our house, our marital status and my husband's title allow us the use of married student quarters. You certainly wouldn't expect us to be engaging in normal marital relations in dorms with other students present, would you?"

Umbridge for once seemed at a loss of words as Hermione smirked, took Harry's arm and turned them around to leave the Great Hall. As she turned, she found Professor McGonagall standing to the side with their class schedules. Their house head stepped forward and handed Hermione the schedules as she traded a small, knowing smile with her favorite students. Hermione gave her a final nod as she pulled Harry away and they made their way to their apartment.

As soon as they were back in their apartment, Hermione let go of Harry's arm and vented her own frustrations over the new DADA professor. As she ranted, a gasp and shuffling were heard from the bedroom. Harry's wand was out immediately until a familiar figure emerged. Dobby was a bit shocked at Hermione's rant, but obviously excited to see them both.

"Master and Missus has returned! Dobby is sorry to intrude. I was just settling your fine trunks. Also, the feline requested release from his confinement, but I insisted that he remain within the apartment until your arrival. Dobby hopes he has done correctly."

Harry chuckled at the house elf and the mental picture of him and Crookshanks having a discussion. Hermione joined his laughter as the tension from the Great Hall diffused.

"You've done quite fine Dobby. Thank you for settling our trunks and caring for Crookshanks. It's good to see you are still at Hogwarts."

"Oh yes Master Harry sir! Dobby does well as a free elf with the magic of the castle. Elsewheres Dobby would struggle greatly. If master has need of anything, just call on Dobby. Of course, the other elves would help as well, but Dobby would be most pleased to be chosen."

The elf popped out before Harry or Hermione could respond. Shaking his head, Harry turned to his wife.

 _Well love, I guess it's time to unpack._

 _Yes, and I should probably let Crookshanks out of the apartment. I'm sure he'll want to explore._

Hermione went to collect Crookshanks while Harry also released Hedwig from her cage and opened a window for her. With their familiars released, Harry turned to his trunk and was about to start unpacking when Hermione came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. As she nuzzled his neck, she sent him a very enticing mental image. Tossing the socks he was holding back into the trunk, Harry turned and took his wife into his arms.

 _Perhaps we should break the apartment in a bit before we unpack?_

 _Excellent idea my love._

Harry nibbled on her ear and then moved kisses down her neck as Hermione began to moan softly. Their robes went quickly and then the various pieces of their uniforms began to be scattered as they slowly undressed each other while trailing kisses. They gradually maneuvered to the bed, so that by the time they were undressed, Harry was able to push Hermione back onto it with her legs on the edge as he dropped to his knees and began to open her lips to explore her with his tongue. Her moans grew in intensity as she called his name and begged her lover to make her come. Just as her thighs began to tremble, Harry pulled back as she nearly cried in disappointment. Smiling down on her, Harry tenderly slipped his aching cock into her warmth. Already close to the edge, he barely made two strokes when Hermione called his name and climaxed. Even as she squeezed him in her delightful heat, Harry continued his rhythm, increasing his speed and adjusting her legs so that he could push in deeper. Her climax continued almost to a painful point as he never let up on her. Minutes later he increased his strokes to a rapid pounding for a brief minute before groaning and crying out his own climax as he filled her tight entry to overflowing, causing her to come again. As the stars receded from his eyes, he rolled the both of them all the way onto the bed as he slipped out and their mixed fluids poured down her thighs. Hermione was still quivering from the series of intense orgasms as she turned and tried to smile at her lover. Harry leaned over and kissed her as he fondled her breasts. They kissed and fondled for quite a while before they were both ready to go again as Harry pulled her over and Hermione settled on his cock with a squeak that soon turned into a loud moaning. Their second round lasted longer as both were still spent from their first. After long minutes of slow and delicious lovemaking, each felt the peak approaching again as Hermione sat up completely and began to ride him hard, bouncing furiously on his staff as she begged for release. She knew she would be sore in the morning, but as usual did not care. When she finally came, Harry was just moments behind her as her muscles began to milk him for anything he had left. Finally exhausted, each thought only briefly about their unpacked trunks before falling into blissful sleep.

The next morning Harry thankfully rose as the first light of sunrise slanted through the high window of their bedroom. Checking the time, he found it was not quite six. He also couldn't remember what was first on their schedule, so he carefully extracted himself from the bed and headed for the loo before then going to retrieve their schedules. They were due to start with Transfiguration in a couple hours, followed by a study period, lunch and then Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry dreaded the class, certain that he couldn't expect much from Umbridge. As he pondered, Hermione appeared, naked and gorgeous in the early light of morning. He crossed to her and kissed her sensually before regretfully pulling back.

 _As much as I hate to say this love, we should probably get ready for class. We have Transfiguration first. We also still need to unpack._

 _You're right of course my love, although first I think we both need to clean up. Perhaps we should save time and shower together?_

Harry grinned and let himself be led to the bathroom, although he knew that joint showering almost never saved time. Once again he was correct as they spent forty minutes under the hot water washing each other before Harry bent Hermione over and took her from behind as her screams echoed off the tile. After they were both sated, they then had to wash again, careful to control themselves so that they could finally exit the shower. They then dressed and unpacked a bit before heading down to breakfast and their first class of the new school year.

McGonagall didn't let them off easy for the first class and they decided to retire to the Gryffindor common room to study before lunch. When they arrived, Ron and Dean were reclining and talking about the summer. The Potters joined their two friends and others that soon joined and found themselves spending the hour renewing friendships and leaving homework for later in the evening. After lunch with all their friends, they next prepared for the moment they were dreading and headed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. When they arrived, the room looked decidedly different than it had with their previous instructors. The desks were set in precise rows with a single chalkboard at the front and a desk to the side. The desk was covered in a pink lace throw and featured a number of pictures in elaborate gilt frames. None of the students had much time to contemplate before Umbridge appeared in the doorway between her office and the classroom. She was once again attired all in pink, this time in a lighter shade that made her somehow look like a particularly unappetizing cloud of cotton candy with the face of a toad. Most of the students had their wands out as well as their books, and the professor frowned at them.

"Now class, wands away. Really, what were you thinking? Of course, your instruction in this subject has been dismal at best and criminal at the worst. All you will be needing is the book you have been assigned for this class titled _Defensive Magical Theory_. So, let's begin on page seven after the introd…yes, Miss Potter, why is your hand raised?"

Harry bristled at her address of Hermione. She at least didn't call her Granger, but she didn't acknowledge they were married either. He decided to settle the matter first.

"Professor Umbridge, I must insist that you correctly address my wife. Since you have not engendered familiarity with us, the House of Potter would appreciate that she be addressed as Lady Potter."

"Really? This is a school, not the Wizengamot young Mr. Potter. Now, as I was saying.."

"Professor Umbridge, I am fully aware of where I am currently sitting. The charters of this school were written to completely acknowledge all titles of the realm and it is within those mandates that I insist you correct your address to both myself and my wife. If you do not care to, I will bring this forward as a matter to the Wizengamot, as well as declaring you an enemy of the House of Potter. Do I make myself clear?"

The Professor was pinker than her outfit as she glared at Harry and then looked to Hermione.

"Fine Lord Potter. Now, Lady Potter, why do you insist on disrupting the class by foolishly waving your hand?"

"I don't believe this is a foolish question professor. You mentioned that wands will not be needed in class. Does that mean we will not be performing any practical magic?"

"What? Of course not! Why would you think that children such as yourself would actually need to use defensive spells?"

Harry had once again had enough with the pompous, toad faced witch. He felt his magic crackling and reined it in just a bit, although not completely, as he responded.

"Why you ask? Oh, I don't know professor, perhaps because Lord Voldemort has returned?"

Although Harry would have thought it impossible, Umbridge actually turned a brighter shade of pink as she exploded.

"Lord Potter! You certainly have not been schooled in the propriety that your title should engender. Now, let me address the entire class with what I have to say now. Lord Voldemort is GONE. He has not and will not return. Anyone who says otherwise is a LIAR."

That final statement was the clincher for Harry as he stood and lightly rubbed his signet, calling forth a bit of house magic.

"Dolores Umbridge, as lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, I demand that you rescind your last statement. Unless you really wished to call me a liar?"

"What? Sit down young man. Title or not, I will not allow you to disrespect your elders. You are obviously delusional and I will not tolerate false statements about the return of some Dark Lord."

Harry gathered his magic a bit more and suddenly the room was bathed in blue light as static crackled around Harry and he framed his next response. The entire class was completely silent, with a few Hufflepuffs and a couple Gryffindors actually gathered at the back of the room, ready to flee.

"Dolores Umbridge, I have warned you and you have failed to cede the warning. You have now called me a liar and inferred that I am delusional. I, Harry James Potter, of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter do hereby declare you an enemy of my house. As a declared enemy of my house, and with witnesses to the slight upon my house, including my Lady, I hereby challenge you to a duel for house honor. As the challenger, I cede the choice of time and place for the duel to yourself. In accordance with the ancient laws, I demand that you choose the place and time here and now. I will accept an immediate duel if you so wish."

A hiss sounded around the room as everyone blanched at Harry's words. All except Hermione, who stood steadfastly at his side and sent her private thoughts to her husband.

 _Well stated my love. I guess it's good that I found that book at Grimmauld on Ancient House customs._

 _Indeed, as usual you are my brains. I thank the gods for our bond that lets me share a bit of your vast knowledge._

Harry broke the mental conversation with a less than tame mental kiss that caused Hermione to shiver slightly. Umbridge just stared at them in shock for minute before she finally found her voice.

"A duel? Ha! You wish to duel me? While I would very much find it welcome to teach you a lesson that you have obviously lacked, I cannot allow myself as a professor to duel an underage student."

"Then you refuse the duel? Certainly you must know that refusing a duel counts as a forfeit to yourself and I have the right to choose whatever spoils I so wish, up to and including half the value of your house."

This time it was Umbridge who blanched as her face suddenly lost all the high color that Harry had brought out in her. She thought over her options quickly and grimaced at the young, impudent lordling.

"Fine, Lord Potter, I accept your duel. Let it be known that I duel Lord Potter, not Harry Potter, student of Hogwarts. I will not be held responsible for the results. Let's get this over with here and now."

Harry nodded and turned to the class.

"Sorry for the unseemly show everyone, but can you all please step to the back of the room. Scion Longbottom, may I ask that you take the role of fair witness?"

"Wow…um…sure Har…um Lord Potter."

Neville stepped to Harry's opposite side as the rest of the class left their desks and gathered in the back. With everyone safely away, Harry waved his wand and the desks all moved to the sides of the room. Next, he inscribed a ring around the room, setting the dueling quarters and pushing Hermione and Neville outside the ring. He took up his position as Umbridge assumed hers. Neville was about to begin the duel when Harry spoke up.

"Alright everyone, it looks like you are going to get a full and unplanned defense lesson today. Watch carefully and I'll submit the memory of this for review later if anyone wishes."

Harry nodded to Neville, who looked a bit scared but nodded back as he raised his wand and began the duel. Umbridge moved surprisingly quickly at first, while Harry put up an immediate heavy protectum maximo shield. He shuffled sideways as Umbridge launched a couple quick stunners at him. Harry decided to cut to the chase and volley with his heaviest spells, taking a brief second to gather his magic and fire a reducto at Umbridge. She dodged it just barely as she cast a shield, but the reducto hit her desk, shattering it and sending shrapnel around the room. Hermione immediately turned and cast a shield over the back of the classroom where everyone was gathered and then cast a shield around herself and Neville. As Umbridge was getting her shield back up, some of the shrapnel hit her, causing her to wince and take a brief pause that Harry utilized to launch a barrage and shatter her shield. Next, Harry decided to try a spell that Sirius had taught him during their last days at Grimmauld. The spell was a spread cutting spell called sectusempra and it hit Umbridge in the side as she cast a reducto at Harry while trying to dodge. Harry's shield wavered, but he poured some magic into it to strengthen it again. Umbridge was now clutching her right side with her left hand while she tried to continue casting. Harry cast an expelliarmus and then an incarcerous, disarming and binding his opponent. With Umbridge down, he stepped forward and placed his wand to her temple as she looked up at him, terrified. He knew it was now within his rights to take her life, but there was no way he would kill a disarmed and bound opponent. He supposed that if he had to, he might kill in defense, but even that was hard for him to imagine.

"Dolores Umbridge, I hereby claim victory in this duel. I am granting you your life, but request that you vacate Hogwarts immediately and never return. House Potter holds a life debt on you and would expect your future behavior to reflect that debt."

Harry stepped back and looked around at the class. Against a far wall he was surprised to find that two more had joined the audience. The Fat Friar and Bloody Baron were just staring at him, apparently as in shock as everyone else. Harry nodded to the two ghosts.

"Hello sirs. Can you please summon the headmaster as well Madam Pomfrey. I do believe Dolores is in need of medical attention."

"Yes my Lord. Right away."

The two ghosts disappeared through the wall and Harry bent down to check on Dolores. She was bleeding, but was not in immediate danger so he turned back to his classmates.

"Well, while we wait, does anyone have any questions about what happened? I do apologize for you all having to witness this."

Harry's calm composure disconcerted many of his fellow students even more and none responded to him. It was Neville who decided to speak up.

"Lord Potter, if I may, while we wait, can you review the spells you used? I didn't recognize a couple of them."

"Yes, of course Scion Longbottom. First, my shield was an advanced form of the protego we all know. The protectum is more complex and requires more focus, but offers more protection. I also cast the maximo version for increased protection. It requires a fair bit of focus to erect a complete shield. You are all familiar with the disarm and stun spells, but what you saw in action was the use of stunners in a barrage. It's a bit of an added verbiage to the spell and also requires complete focus. I don't know if it will be taught in later classes…"

"It's NEWT level, late sixth year I believe my love."

"Thank you dear. As my wife has said, much of this is NEWT level. We've been doing a bit of extra study lately since I seem to be a frequent target. As for the other spells, reducto is a reduction spell meant to reduce objects to small pieces. You saw what it did to the desk. You can imagine what it would do if it hit a person full strength. Again, the strength of the spell is largely due to the magical core strength of the caster, as well as their focus abilities. There are some mind magics such as occlumency that aid in…"

Harry's teaching dialogue was cut short by the arrival of the headmaster and Madam Pomfrey. Harry gestured to the healer and she came across the room to examine Umbridge. Meanwhile, Dumbledore looked over his glasses and regarded Harry seriously.

"Lord Potter, I believe you need to begin explaining yourself quickly."

Neville suddenly stepped to Harry's side and looked at the headmaster.

"Headmaster Dumbledore, I was the fair witness for this duel and would be willing to submit evidence if you desire. I can assure you that Lord Potter acted within his rights when his personage and house were impugned multiple times, even after he warned Umbridge."

"Alright. Well then, Lord and Lady Potter and Scion Longbottom, please follow me to my office. Madam Pomfrey, how is she?"

"She has a few nasty cuts and a bit of wood stuck in her arm, but I should be able to patch her up shortly. She'll need a blood replenishing potion for the blood loss as well."

"Very well Madam Pomfrey, please see to it that Dolores is healed as quickly as possible and then see to it that she exits the grounds. I spared her life, but require her to vacate Hogwarts permanently."

Madam Pomfrey's eyes went wide, as did Dumbledore's.

"Lord Potter, I understand you had a disagreement, but the Ministry insisted on Professor Umbridge's replacement. You cannot dismiss her."

"With all due respect headmaster, yes I can. I would prefer to speak in private, but we can continue now if you wish."

"No, private is probably best. Let's go to my office. I'll summon Minerva as well since the three of you are hers. Class, you are dismissed early. Please use this time to study."

Harry, Hermione and Neville followed Dumbledore out of the classroom and across the castle to his office. McGonagall was already waiting when they arrived. Seeing the three Gryffindors, her lips pinched and she cast a concerned look at Dumbledore.

"Minerva, thank you for leaving your class early. There has been an incident in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Apparently Dolores insulted House Potter and its Lord and then accepted a duel from Lord Potter. He defeated her, but granted her her life. She is now being treated in the hospital wing for her injuries. Scion Longbottom was fair witness, so I have called them here to submit their memories of what occurred."

The head of house Gryffindor blanched as she glanced at her three charges. Dumbledore then waved and summoned his pensieve from a nearby cabinet. Harry and Neville both placed their wands to their temples and produced the memories, which they deposited in the bowl. Dumbledore and McGonagall took a step forward and descended into the memories, which played consecutively for them, showing the events from two angles. Harry, Hermione and Neville stood back and waited the long minutes for the review to be completed. Finally, Dumbledore and McGonagall joined them again. McGonagall turned and regarded them with an appraising eye while Dumbledore turned and spoke to Harry.

"Well Lord Potter, it does seem that you were in your rights to the duel. I'm a bit shocked at Dolores' repeated foolishness after you warned her. You do leave me in a quandary as to what I am to do about a Defense teacher now. Apparently the position is believed to be cursed and it has been impossible for me to find an instructor. That is why the Ministry stepped in and provided one. I daresay that even with you banishing Umbridge they will produce someone else. Anyway, that is my concern now. I am sure that your actions will cause an uproar at the Ministry. May I retain the memories for evidence?"

"Yes headmaster, please. I also need to speak with you in regards to the issue with the Ministry assigning professors. It is tied to what I needed to discuss with you during our appointment tomorrow."

"Hmm, well then I think I will adjust my schedule and make time for us to meet now. It seems that matters can no longer be delayed. Will you require the others to be in attendance?"

"I wish my lady to be here of course. Professor McGonagall may remain if she wishes. Neville, I appreciate all you have done, but I need to discuss some house business now."

"No worries Lord Potter. Also, I may be Scion Longbottom, but I am also your friend. Just let me know if there is anything I can do to help. I believe you about Voldemort and will do whatever is needed to help you get rid of him."

Harry took a deep breath, a bit stunned at the seriousness Neville was displaying. He had grown a lot since they first met and was beginning to truly resemble the Scion of a Noble House. Harry thought for a minute and conferred with Hermione.

 _What do you think love? Time to start gathering alliances?_

 _I think so. Certainly I trust Neville as much as anyone. His house isn't the most powerful, but he is due to take a seat on the Wizengamot when he comes of age._

With Hermione's assurance, Harry rubbed his signet to call forth his house magic and then stepped forward and clasped Neville's right hand between his two hands.

"Scion Neville Franklin Longbottom, you have been a true and loyal friend. I, Harry James Potter, do hereby offer an alliance between the Ancient and Noble House of Potter and the Noble House of Longbottom. What say you friend?"

Neville's eyes grew wide, but his response was quick.

"I, Scion Neville Franklin Longbottom do hereby accept an alliance with the house of Lord Harry James Potter."

The magic that Harry had called forth flared around them for a brief second as a flash of yellow light sealed the alliance, leaving the two young wizards grinning at each other.

"Well then Neville, as an ally of House Potter, you are welcome to stay for the rest of the meeting if you wish."

"Thank you Harry, but I think I'll decline if I'm not needed. I think I need to send a letter to my gran immediately. Our family hasn't had an alliance in at least a couple centuries."

Harry nodded and Neville left the office. The Potters then turned to look back at Dumbledore and McGonagall. The Gryffindor matriarch shook her head briefly as she regarded the young lions.

"My, the two of you do keep things stirred up. The school year has barely begun."

"I'm afraid I'm about to stir more professor, but it needs to be done."

Dumbledore gestured to a couple chairs and they all sat. Harry decided he should start the discussion.

"Headmaster, I think we should first discuss the issue with the Defense position. I believe you said the Ministry assigned Umbridge because you couldn't find anyone else?"

"That's correct Lord Potter."

"Please, we're done with the formal inquiry now, let's go back to first names. So, since I've dismissed Umbridge, the Ministry can now choose someone else who may be equally stupid and vile?"

"Yes Harry. That's part of the school charter under the board of governors."

"I see. Well then, I think we have a solution. I'll let my brilliant and equally beautiful wife explain."

Harry turned and Hermione smirked at him as she took over.

"Professor, we've read up quite a bit on the history of Hogwarts and the governing of the school. The current charter and board of governors was begun approximately 550 years ago, nearly three hundred years after the founding of the school. During the preceding three hundred years the school was governed by a headmaster and the Founders' lines. Once the lines of the Founders began to diminish, the current structure was put in place. The change was welcome and brought order during a time of chaos and infighting at the school. That being said, the Founders' rules still apply and supersede the charter rules. If descendants of the Founders are available, they would have the right to claim control and vote over Hogwarts. I can now inform you that the two of us bear two of the Founders' rings. Harry bears the ring for Gryffindor and I bear the ring for Ravenclaw, which is handed down through a matriarchal lineage along Harry's family line. The ring for Hufflepuff was destroyed by the goblins when no one was left to claim it. The only person able to claim the ring of Slytherin is Lord Voldemort. Although he has returned, I highly doubt he will be appearing at Gringotts anytime soon to claim the ring. So, there are three total Founders' votes left for the school and Harry and I hold two of those."

"Merlin's breeks!" McGonagall exclaimed, then looked abashed as she grew quiet.

Dumbledore was silent, but looked equally astonished. After a full minute of contemplation, he replied.

"Well then, this does change the light on things. I doubt the Minister even knows about the old laws. If you go through with this, it's going to cause quite a commotion."

"I understand professor, but I don't think it can be avoided. Voldemort is back and the Minister is sticking his head in the sand and taking the Ministry down with him. I can't let him do the same to Hogwarts. So I guess we need to make an official vote on the Defense position and moving forward with the governing of the school. As I understand it, once we move on one we take over all action for the school."

"That's correct Harry. You could replace myself or any of the other professors as well."

"Right now I don't want to cause that much change. I'm fine with leaving you as headmaster. That being said, we have much more to talk about and I must insist that you disclose everything I wish to know. You may think I'm too young, but I've grown up quickly. Voldemort is back and I'm his target. I expect you to aid me completely from this point forward."

 _Well that's the first step love. Now, what do we need to do to invoke our Founders' privileges?_

 _I think we need to call forth the magic in our rings much like you have with the Potter signet and then state our intentions. I believe the magic imbued in the castle will handle the rest._

 _Alright, why don't you take the lead then Lady Ravenclaw. I yield to your brilliance._

Hermione held back a sarcastic remark and instead focused her magic as she began to rub the Ravenclaw signet. Harry did the same with Gryffindor's as Hermione began to speak.

"I, Hermione Jean Potter, now claiming to the line of Rowena Ravenclaw, do hereby claim my Founders' rights over this school and strike out all others rights to vote or govern Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"And I, Harry James Potter, now claiming to the line of Godric Gryffindor, do hereby claim my Founders' rights over this school and strike out all others rights to vote or govern Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Two loud clangs sounded as a flare of magic encompassed Hermione and Harry. As the magic settled, they both felt a new awareness of their surroundings. Reaching out lightly with his magic, Harry felt the totality of the many layers of wards around the ancient building, as well as the subtle shifts in magic throughout, caused by the numerous inhabitants.

"Well then my Founders, what is your will of the school headmaster now?"

"First, I wish for Remus Lupin to be contacted immediately about returning to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. I will assist in drafting the offer letter. If anyone objects to his appointment, I don't care. Second, I would like a list of potion masters who can take over from Professor Snape compiled within the next week for myself and Hermione to review. I would like the same done for History professors, as I believe it is long past time for Professor Binns to move on. Finally, from this day forward, Divination is now no longer compulsory and should only be offered to those select few with the interest and skills needed for the discipline. I understand your reasons for keeping Trelawney close, but that does not mean that all students need to be subjected to her less than perfect art form. I know this presents quite a few changes, but Hermione and I have talked this over at length and are in concurrence on the changes that need to be made. I believe that you have had your attentions divided for too long headmaster and have let a few things slip. We are now here to assist and see that the standards of Hogwarts are raised appropriately again."

"Alright Harry, I guess I'll need to get busy with compiling the lists for you. In regards to Severus, I do wish you would rethink that decision. Much like Trelawney, he needs to remain close for reasons other than teaching."

"If that is the case, then you need to start explaining why. Now that we have invoked the Founders' privileges, I think it is time we move on to the next subject. You told me about the prophecy, but I feel there are more details that you are withholding. Why don't we start with Professor Snape, why is he so important?"

Dumbledore sighed and looked at the young man in front of him. Years of planning were crashing down around him and he seemed unable to stop the deluge. Harry had come into his own much quicker than he would have wished, aided by the amazing bond to the brilliant witch at his side. His magic pulsed and he felt he was at a crux, a significant turning point in events. With a final nod, Dumbledore accepted what fate and circumstance had wrought as he began the long process of imparting Lord Potter with the information he desired…


	11. Disclosure

Chapter 11 – Disclosure

The headmaster took a moment and sighed as he tried to figure out where to begin. There was a lot to tell and he was not so naïve as to not realize that what he was about to disclose might very well mean the end of his position at Hogwarts. Oh well, he  
had done what he thought best at the time. He realized some mistakes now, but perhaps if he was honest with Harry he might retain some semblance of the regard that the young man once felt for him.

"Alright Harry, I guess we might as well start with Professor Snape since you are adamant on your refusal of him. You remember the prophecy I told you about over the summer?"

Harry was about to nod, but then McGonagall spoke up.

"What about the prophecy Albus? You never told the Order the details. Do you have the full prophecy?"

Dumbledore turned and regarded his deputy headmistress and long time friend. He had been so focused on Harry that he had forgotten she was listening as well. Perhaps he was slowing down with age. Well, she would need to understand then before they continued.

"Yes Minerva, I have the full prophecy, as I was present when it was given. I have been withholding until I thought the time was right. I suppose now that Harry knows, that I should tell the rest of the Order. For now, here is what I heard nearly fifteen  
years ago…"

Dumbledore relayed the exact prophecy as Harry had heard it before and McGonagall went pale as the news settled into her. Harry still wasn't pleased with the headmaster, but realizing he wasn't the only one that had been withheld on was somewhat mollifying  
for the moment. When the headmaster finished, he turned back to Harry.

"Now Harry, as I told you, when the prophecy was given it was overheard in part and the part that was heard by a Death Eater was then relayed to Voldemort. I believe his hearing the incomplete prophecy is what led to the attack on your parents and yourself.  
Now you need to know the identity of that Death Eater. It was a young potions master by the name of Severus Snape."

The news perhaps shouldn't have been surprising. In a way it sort of made sense. Still, it hit Harry like a train. All the color drained from his face as the headmaster paused and Hermione wrapped her arms around him. Knowing there was nothing she could  
do for the moment, she kept silent, offering only her arms. Gradually the news absorbed and the rage in Harry grew. Hermione felt it build and wondered what she could or should do. This time she knew the rage was justified and that she wouldn't be  
able to do much beyond what she was already doing. A full three minutes later, Harry's head gradually came up and his eyes were cold as he allowed his magic to leak and roll toward the headmaster as he responded.

"Snape! He's responsible for it all! And you've kept him here, near me! Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Please Harry, there is more. I am prepared for your hate, but at least wait until you have all the details. I will accept whatever payment you wish to excise from me at the end."

Dumbledore's words and Hermione's hands on his back calmed Harry enough that he was able to give the barest of nods, indicating that the headmaster should continue.

"I understand your rage at Severus Harry, but he regrets his decision to take the partial prophecy to the Dark Lord as much as you do. The story is really his to tell, but you have a right to know. I could call him up here, but I am aware that he would  
not tell you what is needed. I am all too aware that Severus sees James Potter when he looks at you and can never see beyond that. To understand, I need to go back another twenty years or so before your parents' deaths. Your mother was muggleborn  
of course. She came from a middle class background. Her father ran a small store on the edge of the village of Cokeworth, and his family resided on the edge of town. As young girls, Lily and Petunia Evans played in the fields that bordered the village.  
It was during those early years that the first signs of your mother's prodigious magical talent manifested. As you can probably surmise, her sister Petunia was not happy and supportive of Lily's talents. Instead, Lily became friends with a poor boy  
from the town who sought refuge from his abusive home in the same fields where the girls played. That boy's name was Severus Snape, a halfblood from an unhappy marriage between a witch of modest talents and an older muggle man. Severus was able to  
offer Lily support and explain magic to her, causing a friendship to grow in the years leading up to their departure to Hogwarts. When they reached the age of eleven, the two friends arrived at this school. Lily was sorted into Gryffindor and Severus  
went to Slytherin. In the first couple years of their schooling, the friendship continued, but gradually strained. I won't go into all the possible reasons why. Needless to say, Severus began to believe in the ideals espoused in Slytherin and, by  
fourth year, was mostly estranged from his childhood friend. At the same time, he also ran afoul of a group of boys who styled themselves as the Marauders. James Potter led the small band and was the personification of Gryffindor pureblood arrogance.  
I know that may be hard to understand, but your father was young once and had lessons that he needed to learn. Lily Evans was often at odds with the young Marauders, despite James' regular attempts to gain her attention. His efforts were not aided  
by the Marauders' constant baiting of Severus. Eventually James grew up and Severus separated further from Lily. Late in their sixth year, Lily began to change her mind about James. She tried at several points to reach out to her old friend and mend  
bridges, but by that time Severus was already friends with the rising Death Eaters and he and Lily traded nasty words. After school Severus became a full Death Eater, but his heart never left Lily, despite what words he spewed to the Dark Lord. As  
he grew up, he began to question some of the Dark Lord's ideals, but there is no going back once you take the Dark Mark. When he overheard the prophecy and took it to the Dark Lord, he was aware that you would be targeted. He has admitted that he  
didn't care what happened to James' son, he only wanted Lily for his own. The Dark Lord guaranteed he could have Lily in exchange for the information he delivered. When the Dark Lord went back on his word and killed Lily, Severus was distraught. I  
found him in the wreckage of the house, mourning over her. It was then that I took him into my custody and learned the full story. On that day I exacted oaths from him that would guarantee that he worked for the light as a double agent in revenge  
against the Dark Lord who took the one person he ever loved. I hold him with bonds stronger than any simple oath could elicit. That is why I keep him close and that is why I ask you to allow him to remain."

The headmaster paused to sip a glass of water after his long story and left the other three in the room to sit back in stunned silence. It was a lot to accept. Somehow though it seemed to make sense. In a way that Harry couldn't quite explain, it was  
like puzzle pieces settling into place. Still, it didn't leave his father or the Marauders in the best light and that was difficult. He looked over at Professor McGonagall and saw that she was obviously coming to terms with it all as well. Apparently  
Dumbledore had kept her in the dark as well. Thinking about his father, Harry realized that she had known him as a student as well.

"Professor McGonagall, you knew my dad and the others the whole time they were at school right? Does this make sense? Were the Marauders really that bad? Was my dad…was he really like that?"

McGonagall sighed as she regarded her young charges. She really wasn't supposed to have favorites, but it was impossible not to in some cases. Harry deserved the full truth, from herself as well as Albus.

"Yes Harry, I believe what Albus is saying. I knew quite a bit of this, although not how close Severus and Lily were before school. It actually makes a lot of sense. As for your father and his actions, I cannot disagree. When your father was young he  
was indeed a bit much to put up with. Combined with Sirius, they were pureblood mayhem. You should remember though that they were quite young and privileged. James did grow up and his attitude corrected itself. He was helped in no small part by your  
mother. As I'm sure you can understand, it's hard to continue to espouse pureblood nonsense when you fall in love with a brilliant muggleborn witch. His last couple years at school saw a great change in James Potter. After school his marriage settled  
him more and he became a force for the cause of the light. Your father was not perfect, but I suggest you focus on the man he became instead of the boy he once was. Unfortunately, Severus has never been able to separate the two."

Harry nodded and lost himself in thought again. Hearing it from McGonagall made it all the more real. Unlike Dumbledore, he had never felt any deceit from her. She was a hard taskmaster, but she was always fair and straight with him. Hermione clung to  
him and gradually he settled and looked back to Dumbledore, giving him a barely perceptible nod to continue.

"Alright Harry, so now you understand why I keep Severus close. Despite his use for the Order, he is also an excellent potions master, although I understand that his prejudices make him a less than ideal teacher at times. Now, back to the night of your  
parents' deaths. When the wards were breached, I was alerted but arrived too late. What I found was your parents dead, Severus cradling Lily, and you in your crib with a bleeding scar on your head. Amazingly, you had stopped crying and just looked  
around, confused. I took control of Severus and called the head Hogwarts' house elf to transport him to a cell in the Hogwarts' dungeon. He said nothing but Lily's name and went quietly, accepting his fate. I then summoned Sirius and was surprised  
when he answered. I had thought I would have to hunt him down since he had been the secret keeper, or so I thought. As soon as he arrived and saw your parents, I tried to take control of him as well, but his rage drove him and he got away from me.  
I didn't realize then that he had gone to hunt down Peter. Although it was hard to believe, I knew that as the secret keeper he must have betrayed your parents. That left me in a quandary as the Ministry officials arrived. You had no magical relatives  
and Sirius was your godfather. The whole evening was chaotic and troubling. No one knew where Voldemort was and I was afraid he would come back to finish what he started. In his haste to leave, Sirius left his motorbike. Hagrid took the bike while  
I took you away from the house and back here to the school while I figured out what to do next. I knew I couldn't keep you here forever, but at least the wards bought us some time. I began my initial questioning of Severus while contemplating where  
you should go. The morning after the attack, the story was all over the papers. In addition, a lot of people that had been under the Imperius were released from it and a number of Death Eaters had fled. The understanding was that somehow Voldemort  
was gone. You became the Boy Who Lived, known to everyone in magical England. I had the goblins check your parents' will and, along with Sirius, they had listed Frank and Alice Longbottom as guardians. Unfortunately, the Longbottoms had their final  
duel with Bellatrix the previous week and were no longer able to even care for their own son. I knew any number of magical families would foster you, but the hysteria in the couple days after the attack was such that I feared you would be raised spoiled  
and privileged even more than an average pureblood. In addition, I still wasn't convinced that Voldemort was gone. In the end, I was left with what I felt was the best choice by leaving you with your mother's sister and her family and invoking ancient  
blood protections. I was hopeful that you would grow up normal and uncoddled until you could be welcomed back into the magical world. I of course never imagined how they would treat you. A day after I left you at the Dursleys, Sirius tracked down  
Peter and they dueled. As you know, Peter framed him and the Aurors used wartime laws to imprison Sirius immediately. I should have investigated more, but I accepted the decision. I never would have thought Peter would have done what he did. He was  
an untalented student and the least of the group of Marauders. I made many mistakes. I have asked for your forgiveness, but I realize that may be impossible."

Once again Harry was left to sit and absorb the massive amount of information inundating him. After a minute, one overriding fact seemed to settle into his brain as he addressed Dumbledore.

"So you were able to take a newly orphaned child from the scene of a crime and harbor him until you decided where best his future was spent? You were allowed to do this? Doesn't the Ministry have a family services department? And what happened with the  
Longbottoms? Did Voldemort have them killed?"

"Yes the Ministry has such a department Harry, but they allowed me to take over due to my position on the Wizengamot and my reputation. I know I perhaps abused that, but I truly thought it was for the best. At the time the Ministry was overwhelmed and  
understaffed. I'm afraid it didn't take much convincing to have your care remanded to me. As for the Longbottoms, I suggest you discuss that with Neville. It is his story to tell if he wishes."

Harry trembled at that last bit of disclosure. The Ministry was apparently doing so poorly at the end of the first war that they had allowed an elderly wizard with no legal claim and no experience with children of his own to take custody of an injured  
orphan. He thought the Ministry now was lacking, but obviously they had once been even worse. He'd had enough for a moment and stood up to pace the office for a couple minutes. Hermione let him be, knowing that he needed time, but after allowing him  
a few minutes, her gentle words prodded him from his thoughts.

 _Love, do you want me to take over for a bit? Do you need some fresh air?_

 _No…it's just all a bit much. Perhaps you should question him next. I feel my control is slipping._

Harry came back to sit by Hermione, who turned her attention to the headmaster as she took hold of Harry's hand.

"Alright headmaster, so you took it upon yourself to make life altering decisions for Harry after the attack. We now know why the attack most likely happened and the details around the attack for the most part, but one large question remains. What happened  
to Voldemort? And a couple more questions from that. Voldemort obviously didn't die, but where did he go? Was he hurt? How was he able to survive?"

"Lady Potter, that is indeed the most important question. I have spent the intervening years researching the answer to that and your subsequent questions. For a year or so after the attack everything remained a bit chaotic. It was obvious that the Death  
Eaters had no connection to their former master. Some managed to avoid Azkaban by claiming the Imperius. Many of those I doubted, but a lot of them were quite influential. The trials went on for many long months. Once they were complete, everything  
settled down. Even the usual crimes that occurred before Voldemort seemed to be at all time low levels. Everyone seemed to want to put the past behind and believe the Dark Lord really was gone. I had my doubts, but no proof. Still, I used what free  
time I had to do some research I had put off for a while and began to probe Tom Riddle's history. It was more a personal project at the time. Then, a few years later, I started to receive some unusual reports from the continent. Incidents of dark  
magic were reported in Romania and Bulgaria, with a couple mysterious disappearances and the deaths of several magical creatures. I wondered if perhaps the news was linked to Voldemort, but it was hard to imagine how. My research into Tom's background  
had yielded one curious memory that gave me a clue that I didn't want to acknowledge. With the reports of dark magic, I furthered my research and started to gain an idea of how Tom might have cheated death. I wasn't sure if I was correct. At least  
not until your second year."

"My second year? The Chamber of Secrets? What did that tell you?"

"That is a difficult question that requires even more background. I know we've been here for quite a while, do you want to take a break and continue later? This next part will not be brief."

"NO. We've come this far and we will continue. I deserve the full truth finally."

Dumbledore nodded and accepted Harry's firm words.

"Alright. First, before we go to your second year, I need to give you some background on Tom Riddle. I've collected a few memories through the years. Perhaps it is time to go to the pensieve again."

Dumbledore crossed the room to a nearby cabinet, where he withdrew a number of memory vials. He took them back to the pensieve, where he poured them in. Next, he withdrew a long string of memories from himself and added them to the magical device before  
looking up at the three others who had gathered around him.

"Alright, I have added all the necessary memories. They'll play in chronological order. It will be too difficult for all of us to descend into them, so I am going to activate the suspension rune on my pensieve. I might say that this is a unique addition  
that I have only seen on one other pensieve."

Dumbledore activated a strange rune on the edge of the shallow bowl and an image suddenly hovered over the top of the bowl, displaying a middle aged wizard walking on a dirt road leading to a rundown shack. Harry was still reeling from all the disclosures,  
but sat back on his heels to begin watching the memories. It took about twenty minutes for them all to play and then Harry and Hermione sat back down, trying to catalog and assimilate the bits of information. Dumbledore put the pensieve away and then  
turned back to them.

"So, now we've seen the pieces, let me start filling in some of the blanks. First, the shack you saw was the home of the Gaunt family, the last heirs of Slytherin. You saw what years of inbreeding had brought them to. Morfin and his father both ended  
up being sent to Azkaban. Morfin was sent for his crimes against the muggles. Marvolo was sent for attacking Ministry officials. Once they left, his daughter Merope caused quite the sensation when she ran off with the muggle Tom Riddle. I have no  
proof, but I suspect a love potion was used. Some months later Merope was penniless and pregnant after Tom left her. She died giving birth and her son was left in the orphanage that you saw me visit. He had a history of being a bully who caused strange  
things to happen around him. I was concerned about his attitude, but hoped that bringing him to Hogwarts and training him properly would alleviate his early rough years. The matron at the orphanage was more than happy to send him off for most of the  
year. While he was a student, he excelled academically. The boy was incredibly gifted and the picture of Slytherin cunning. Aided by his natural skills and uncommonly good looks, he attracted followers easily. Still, I found myself concerned about  
him. Something in me knew that he was beyond just cunning. By the time of his third year, a tension built between us. I was just a professor then, but I kept a sharp eye on the boy and he resented me for it. One of those who was charmed by Tom was  
the Potions professor and his head of house, Horace Slughorn. The last memory you saw you probably noticed was a bit different. The memory is broken and unclear because it has been modified. Horace is a master at potions, but he is also a man who  
loves the comforts of life and surrounds himself with those of influence and power. Tom attracted him immediately. Now of course he knows who Tom became and is ashamed of the true memory, so he refused to give it to me. To get the modified memory  
alone took a good bit of cajoling and some fine scotch. Despite the poor quality of the memory, the key point is that we know Tom was researching horcruxes while he was at school. I believe that in these studies lies the answer to how he managed to  
survive and return."

Hermione had been pondering after the pensieve stopped and while Dumbledore spoke. A number of questions were brewing in her mind and Harry gave her a mental nod to go ahead.

"Well, I suppose this explains a bit. Still, it's more than ironic that the Dark Lord who espouses pureblood ideals is actually a halfblood and looks more like his muggle father than his witch mother. Seeing the Gaunts and what they were should be an  
advertisement against the inbreeding that those ideals lead to. Anyway, we know where Tom Marvolo Riddle began and what set him on his course. The question now is how to stop him. It seems that his horcrux is the key. What exactly is it professor?  
I've never read anything about it."

"And you normally wouldn't. Not here at Hogwarts. I had the few books with general references to them removed from the restricted section years ago. Perhaps if my forebears had done the same, we would not be here today, although I suspect that Tom would  
have found his knowledge elsewhere. As to what a horcrux is, it is perhaps the most vile and dark bit of magic known to our world. A horcrux is a soul container, an item in which a wizard or witch places a piece of their soul to keep them bound to  
this plane. To create one means that the soul has to be split. The only way to split one's soul is to murder an innocent. Some ritual preparation is needed beforehand, then the murder is done and a piece of the soul is stored in the prepared container.  
That container is then hidden. As long as it remains intact, the wizard or witch cannot die completely. They may remain on the most base levels of existence, but they can return using other dark rites, much as Voldemort did in the cemetery."

This time is was Minerva who gasped and shook her head. Before Harry or Hermione could say anything further, she found her voice.

"ALBUS, by the gods, really? You've known all this for how long?"

"I've known a bit of Tom's background for years. The details on the horcruxes I have only discovered in the last ten years or so Minerva. I know you and the others of the Order will probably question my means and motives, but I have done what I felt was  
necessary. Horcruxes are not known to most of the population. I would say only a few Unspeakables and a couple others in the Ministry have even heard of them."

The Transfiguration professor just stared at her old friend, wondering what else he wasn't telling them. Then Hermione spoke up again.

"Alright, so Voldemort created a horcrux. So we need to find it and destroy it before hunting him down. Unless…Professor, can one create more than one horcrux?"

"And once again you show your brilliance Lady Potter. That is the issue we have with the modified memory. I believe a discussion on the number of horcruxes was what Tom asked Horace. I know for a fact that one horcrux has been destroyed, but I am not  
certain how many more remain, although I can take an educated guess."

"One has been destroyed? When? How?"

Dumbledore rose from his chair and crossed the office. He pulled his wand and performed a long incantation as he ran his wand alongside a picture. The picture swung aside and revealed a hidden space behind it. From here he withdrew a small book that was  
instantly familiar to Harry. He returned to his desk and placed it in front of them.

"The diary! That's how he was able to take control of Ginny through it!"

"Yes, this diary contained a piece of his soul. It was lucky that you had a basilisk fang handy to destroy it. Basilisk venom is one of only a couple of items that can destroy a horcrux."

"So one down, how many to go? What do you think?"

"My theory is that Tom would have chosen a magical number when choosing his horcruxes. I don't believe he would have thought three would be enough. I think he would have wanted more insurance than that. I think thirteen is more than even his soul could  
take being split. So my guess is seven. The diary is a commonplace item and, given the age that he was when he appeared out of it, I believe it was his first. Knowing Tom as I did, I suspect that later horcruxes would have been created from items  
of greater import. I have a couple more memories that might provide some insight, but there is something else I suspect and it may be the most difficult news of all."

The grim look on the headmaster's face made Hermione cringe. There was something worse than all this? She squeezed Harry's hand as she took a deep breath. Harry's jaw was set as he nodded at Dumbledore.

"Lord Potter, I've researched the circumstances around your parents' murders for many years. Of course the key question was always what happened to Voldemort and how you managed to defeat him. I reached the conclusion that it was your mother's sacrifice  
that invoked ancient life magic and caused the killing curse to rebound off you and back to Voldemort. Your scar is the result of that of course. Since you've started at the school I know your scar has caused pain for you and that you also occasionally  
have nightmares from it. Added to that are your parselmouth abilities, which I believe come from Voldemort. There is no easy way to say this, but all this evidence leads me to believe that when Voldemort's killing curse backfired he created an inadvertent  
horcrux, lodging a fragment of his soul in your scar."

That news hit Harry harder than any of the previous disclosures. His scar was a horcrux? A piece of Voldemort's soul? His magic flared out of control despite Hermione's physical and mental link to him. She was as distraught as he was and was unable to  
help him gain control. As the magic flared, Dumbledore put up a shield around the young couple. He supposed the reaction was understandable, but the strength of Harry's magic was staggering. He wondered how much of it was due to his bond with Hermione.  
Harry got up and was about to begin pacing when he suddenly dropped to his knees and began to dig his fingers into his forehead. It wasn't logical, but he was beyond logic until Hermione regained control.

 _Harry my love, stop! Hurting yourself won't solve this. I'm upset also, but use your occlumency. We'll find a solution, but you need control first._

Harry was on his knees in a ball with Hermione wrapped around him. Gradually he exerted his mind magics and his raw magic display came under control. With his magic under control, his emotions took over and he began to quietly sob. Hermione joined his  
tears as she clung to him, peppering his cheeks with small kisses as she mentally caressed him. Dumbledore took down the shield and he and McGonagall watched the young couple for many minutes. The force of their bond was palpable and remarkable. After  
a while they gained control and stood up to face the headmaster and their professor, although they said nothing.

"I am very sorry to have to be the one to tell you this. Now you understand why I have wanted to wait before putting this burden on you. I am glad that you have bonded now so that you have your soulmate to help you through this."

Hermione regarded the headmaster with mixed feelings. He had made many mistakes, but in his mind he obviously thought he was doing what was best. He wasn't malicious, but definitely misguided with more than a bit of arrogance. Well, no more, the truth  
was out and it was time to work on finding a solution.

"Professor, you mentioned that basilisk venom is one of the only known ways to destroy a horcrux. What other ways are there? What can we do?"

"The other two ways I know of are fiendfyre and a reverse ritual that has to be done by the originator of the horcux. It would require great remorse on Voldemort's part and a sincere desire that he wishes to reverse what he has done. Obviously that will  
never happen. So that leaves just the two known weapons against the horcrux, basilisk venom and fiendfyre. I will say that this magic is ancient and reviled, meaning that much of what was known about it has been lost. I have been searching for other  
alternatives."

Harry finally found his voice as he regarded Dumbledore coolly.

"So I either have to dose my scar in venom or fiendfyre to destroy it. Of course that would be a bit hazardous to my health. Does that mean that for Voldemort to finally be gone that I need to die as well?"

Hermione gasped and whimpered as she clutched onto Harry.

"I hope not Harry. That is why I continue to search for another answer. Since you've bonded, the need has become doubly imperative."

"You mean?"

"Yes my love, he means that if you die then I most likely will as well. That is the case with all other documented soul bonds. Not that I would wish to continue without you."

The young couple embraced again as Harry pulled Hermione onto his lap. It was all too much. He supposed that if it was just himself he had to sacrifice, he could come to terms with that, but he couldn't take her with him. They had to find another way.  
Hermione settled a bit and turned to look at Dumbledore.

"Well then, we need to research more. This may be OWL year, but that no longer matters. Now is not the time for modesty. I may only be fifth year, but I am the best researcher in the student body. I have to ask that you share any notes you have already  
gathered and advice on how to move forward with finding a way to safely remove a also need to track down the other horcruxes."

"Of course Lady Potter. I will share everything I have. I will also give you open access to the restricted section of the library, as well as my own personal collection. I am assured that if anyone can find a solution, it will be yourself. I think while  
you continue with researching how to remove a horcrux, I will continue on the other path to track down the additional horcruxes that need to be destroyed. I have a couple books here that you can take immediately if you wish."

Hermione nodded and Dumbledore crossed to a bookshelf on the left side of the office. He removed two heavy tomes and placed them on the desk in front of her. With a sigh, he addressed them one final time.

"Now I know this day has been a long and momentous one, but we must return to the issue of the governing of the school. I have accepted that you are invoking Founders' rights, and will move to make the changes in DADA, History of Magic and Divination,  
but what is your final decision regarding Professor Snape now that you realize the reason I keep him near?"

 _What do you think my brilliant love? I suppose I see the reason for keeping him here, but I still want him gone._

 _I understand Harry and I've been thinking on this. I suggest we let Snape continue teaching NEWT students and ask Dumbledore to find someone sufficient to teach up to OWL level. That means we at least won't have to worry about him until next year._

 _An elegant solution once again my love, you go ahead and let him know._

Dumbledore regarded the two of them with a look of contemplation as Hermione turned and presented their verdict. The headmaster seemed relieved as he responded.

"I think that is an admirable compromise and I have an individual in mind who I believe could serve well. She never quite completed her full potions mastery, but she is close and will be more than adequate up to OWL level. Also, I couldn't help but notice  
that the two of you were quiet for a bit. Out of curiosity, has your bond given you the legendary mind speech ability?"

 _Guess we can't hide it anymore._

 _Aye my love._

"Yes headmaster, the ability developed gradually as our bond strengthened, but it isn't something we wish to advertise."

"Understood. Now, the decision has been made regarding Professor Snape, and I have a good deal to get done with tracking down Remus and looking for a History professor. First though I need to let the Ministry know that their interference will no longer  
be tolerated since the Founders' rights have been invoked. Needless to say that will cause quite an uproar. Before I tell the Ministry, it might be prudent to call an emergency session of the Board of Governors. With Umbridge being evicted today,  
I daresay it won't be long before the Minister calls me. Do you wish to speak to the Board or would you prefer for me to do so?"

 _Thoughts love? Personally, I'd love to do this myself. I know Lucius is on the board and I want to see his face._

 _Most definitely._

"Thank you for the offer headmaster, but I think it will be best if we speak to the board. It shouldn't take long. Let's see, it's almost dinner time. I think I'd like to take a quiet meal with my lady in our apartment and begin to adjust to all of this.  
Perhaps after dinner we can call the board meeting. Say around seven? Can they floo in? It shouldn't take long."

"I think we can manage that Lord Potter. I'll send patronuses to all ten members immediately. Once the meeting concludes, I'll make my call to the Minister. The evening will still be young, so I expect the Prophet will have time to grab the story in time  
to print it in the morning."

"Understood. Professor McGonagall, will you be attending the board meeting? I'd like you there if you don't mind."

"Of course Lord Potter. And might I add Harry, this day has brought a lot of disturbing revelations. If there is anything I can do to help, I am at your leave."

"Thank you. That is much appreciated. One more point headmaster, with the news most likely making the morning paper, I should make an announcement to the school. Probably at the start of breakfast before the post arrives."

"Of course. A very sound idea."

 _Anything else for now love? I really need to get out of here for a while._

 _No, I also need a break._

"Alright, I think we've done all we can for now. I thank you headmaster for finally disclosing what you know. I won't say that I am ready to be at ease with you, but I am willing to work with you to defeat Voldemort and care for the school. My wife and  
I will be retreating to our apartment and will return at seven. I think though that I would prefer to avoid any questioning in the halls for now and will call Dobby."

Dumbledore nodded and Harry summoned the elf. Dobby was more than happy to take both Harry and Hermione by their hands and apparate them to their apartment. It was still twenty minutes until dinner, so he left them for a bit before returning with trays.  
Although there was much to discuss, words seemed to be insufficient as the they curled up on their couch and held each other in comforting silence. Once dinner arrived, they traded a few thoughts as the events of the day seemed to heap around them.  
One point that came up as they finished was in regards to Ron.

 _Harry, what do we tell Ron? Anything? He is going to know something is wrong. He hasn't always been the most steadfast, but he has been there when it counted. And your alliance with House Longbottom will most likely make news as well. That will also make him wonder. For that matter, since we're allied with Neville now, maybe he should know?_

 _I don't know. Part of me wants to keep this quiet and almost deny it and another part of me wants the support of my friends. The Weasleys have been good to me. I wonder since I allied with House Longbottom, if I should offer an alliance to House Weasley. Of course, that is something I would have to offer to Arthur._

Hermione was quiet for a couple minutes and Harry could see she was thinking hard. After a bit, she replied to him.

 _I think that may be a good idea love. Offer an alliance to Arthur. If he accepts, then I think we can tell Ron. A house alliance will allow a unique secrecy vow. I think you should tell the others as well. You know that the family doesn't keep secrets well among themselves. I've also been thinking that Bill and Charlie might be able to offer some unique help. Bill is a cursebreaker and his skills offer an obvious advantage in research. Charlie has been in Romania for several years and I've heard that the old Eastern European wizards had some unusual magic. Perhaps he can find something that will help. Then there's the twins. Something tells me that we'll be needing their unique approach to problems. As much as I hate to admit it, they've created some ingenious solutions in the past. As for Ron and Ginny, I don't know that they will offer much directly, but I know they will support us._

 _Alright, that all makes sense. Except you left out Percy. He had the best test scores in the family._

 _Yes, I know, but I don't feel comfortable trusting him. He has been too focused on his career and seems to have left the family behind. If he can't be loyal to them, then how can he be loyal to us?_

 _I guess that's sad but true. Okay, I'll offer Arthur an alliance soon. Perhaps I should ask Dumbledore if we can make a quick trip to the Burrow tonight before the news breaks?_

 _You don't have to ask my love. We have Founders' rights and can do as we please._

 _Of course. That will take some getting used to. So, meet with the board at seven, then to the Burrow after. If Arthur accepts the alliance, then I will ask him to call a family meeting this weekend. That should give Charlie time to arrange for an international floo connection. I really don't want to do this more than once, so how about we invite Neville and Sirius as well?_

 _That sounds like a plan. You should probably include Augusta Longbottom since she is the matron of the house until Neville comes of age. She also sits on the Wizengamot._

 _Good idea. Well, that's a lot to do in the next couple days. And I honestly still haven't fully assimilated all this yet._

 _I understand my love. We'll work through it all. First we take control, gather allies and information._

Harry smiled and leaned across the table to give his wife a quick peck as they finished their dinner. After the meal, Hermione decided to begin looking at the books Dumbledore gave her while Harry meditated and prepared himself for the meeting with the  
board.

 **AN: Thanks for your patience. As I mentioned in my other stories, I took a computer free vacation and am now back and catching up. I appreciate all the reviews. The reception for this story has been amazing.**


	12. Alliances

Chapter 12 – Alliances

Promptly at seven, Harry and Hermione presented themselves to the gargoyle guarding the headmaster's office. This time the gargoyle not only did not challenge them, but instead dipped its head low in apparent regard for the Founders' heirs. Harry took  
his wife's hand and led her up to the office. Both of them had made a point of wearing their house dress robes with their crests for the meeting and Harry carefully controlled his breathing as he calmed himself and projected a sense of authority before  
they stepped into the office.

The office was arranged slightly different than it had been earlier in the day, with a rectangular table situated below the headmaster's desk. While not overly large, the table could easily seat sixteen, although it was much narrower than a standard dining  
table. Arranged on the two sides of the desk were the ten members of the board. On one side sat five men, while on the other side sat three men and two women. The fact that the majority of the board were men rankled Hermione a bit, but she set the  
feeling aside since she knew the board was shortly to be no longer. Dumbledore sat on one end of the table with McGonagall to his side, leaving the other end of the table open. Two chairs had been placed there, but Harry bypassed those and instead  
chose to stand and regard the group. He didn't anticipate this taking long and immediately addressed everyone.

"Good evening to you all. Headmaster, I believe I recognize a couple of faces, but can you please make introductions?"

"Of course Lord Potter. Beginning on my right at the seat closest to you and working up to where I am sitting, we have Lord Edward Greengrass, Mr. Augustus Rowle, Mr. Graham Warren, Mr. George Bulstrode and Lord Lucius Malfoy. On the left side of the  
table at the end closest to you is Lady Amelia Bones, Mr. Richard Selwyn, Matron Augusta Longbottom, Mr. Julian Flint and Lord Thaddeus Nott. Although all of you are aware who this is, let me please introduce the board to Lord Harry James Potter and  
Lady Hermione Jean Potter of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter."

Harry took careful note of each person as they were introduced. He found the use or lack of titles interesting and kept mental notes on each for future reference. He also found it interesting that Neville's grandmother was on the board. Lucius looked  
as cool as ever with his usual slightly menacing appraisal. He also noted that, counting Lucius, half the board all carried the names of families that he knew had members within Slytherin house. That too seemed disproportionate, but he set his mental  
review aside and rubbed his signets as he began to address the group.

"Thank you headmaster. I appreciate everyone coming on short notice this evening and I won't keep you long. I requested this meeting so that I can personally inform you that your services on the board are no longer required. As of this afternoon, the  
Hogwarts Board of Governors has been dissolved and Founders' rights have been invoked in accordance with the laws and charter that were established when this school was founded. I wear the ring of Gryffindor and my lady wears the ring of Ravenclaw.  
The goblins informed us that the ring of Hufflepuff has been destroyed and that the ring of Slytherin has not been claimed, leaving us with the right to vote over the school. While we did not originally wish to execute those rights so quickly, events  
earlier today necessitated this change. I appreciate your service to the school and wish you all well."

Before Harry could quite finish, a murmur began on the far end of the table. When he was done, it was Lucius who predictably stood and refuted the claim.

"What are you talking about boy? Founders' rights indeed! The Founders' houses are long gone and the board has served to govern the school for many hundreds of years. You cannot dismiss us. Do you even understand who some of us at this table are?"

"Yes Lord Malfoy, I do understand. That is why I asked for introductions. And during those introductions, the headmaster also informed you that my title is Lord Potter, not boy. I would appreciate that you respect my title as much as I am respecting yours.  
I have already fought and won one duel today, I will not hesitate to initiate another if you continue to show the same lack of respect that Madam Umbridge did earlier."

Harry let his magic leak a bit as he delivered that news, causing several more exclamations around the table. The elderly man on the right side of the table who had been introduced as Richard Selwyn spoke up next.

"Madam Umbridge? You mean my great-niece Dolores? You dueled her today? What happened to her?"

"My apologies Mr. Selwyn for my abrupt announcement. I was not aware that Madam Umbridge had a relative in the room. She received minor injuries in our duel, but has recovered now. I granted her her life, but insisted that she leave the school permanently.  
We do not feel that the Ministry has the right to interfere on the level they wish with the school. I might add that I acknowledged a life debt that I hold on her and expect her to behave accordingly in the future."

Richard Selwyn blanched a bit, but nodded as Harry spoke.

"I understand Lord Potter. My thanks to you for sparing Dolores' life. While this has been a shocking announcement, I acknowledge your rights and will dismiss myself now as my services are no longer required."

Selwyn rose from the table and nodded briefly to the others before striding out of the office. Next to speak was Matron Longbottom.

"As an ally of House Potter, I also acknowledge Lord Potter's right to invoke the Founders' rights and will also dismiss myself from this meeting."

As she rose, Harry gave her a full smile that spoke volumes. He would have liked to say more, but that would have to wait for later. Next to speak up was Thaddeus Nott.

"Albus, is this all really true? Are the Founders' rights still even valid? And what the bloody hell did he do to Dolores? Does the DMLE know about this?"

Before Dumbledore could respond, it was Amelia Bones who spoke up.

"Yes Thaddeus, the DMLE was informed this afternoon of the duel and has received and reviewed the associated memories. We found that Lord Potter acted within his rights and was actually quite gracious to Dolores. She received two warnings before he initiated  
the duel. I am afraid she was foolhardy to challenge him, believing he was just an underage student under her control. Now, I am not as foolhardy. Obviously the Founders' rights are valid and, since I have a good many other duties to attend to, I  
will now dismiss myself. Good evening everyone."

Harry gave the woman a slight smile as she left the room and then returned his demeanor to his former stony countenance as he looked at those left around the table, focusing especially on Malfoy. They locked eyes for a full minute before Lucius finally  
broke away and made one last pronouncement.

"Fine! I suppose I have better things to be doing as well. I will leave for now, but _Lord_ Potter, I can assure you this is not the last time we will be speaking. I will be pursuing this with the Ministry."

Harry just glared and refused to respond to the bait as Lucius stormed out of the office. He knew that there was nothing the Ministry could do, short of forcing a martial takeover of the school, which wasn't likely. Once Lucius was gone, the others in  
the room all left as well. A couple had a few parting words, but most shot daggers at Harry and left silently. Once the room was clear except for the Potters, Dumbledore and McGonagall; the headmaster stood, vanished the table and rearranged his office  
back to its usual configuration.

"Well Lord Potter, that went better than I expected actually. Now I suppose we are down to moving on to the other tasks we discussed earlier today."

"Indeed headmaster. First though, I must use your floo and make a quick call at the Burrow. Also, I neglected to mention it earlier with all the other disclosures, but I wanted to inform you that I will be attending my first Wizengamot meeting next Monday  
when they resume after the summer holiday. Professor McGonagall, that will mean I will be missing at least two classes and possibly three. My wife will take notes for me."

"I see Lord Potter. Is there any particular business that you are interested in during this upcoming session or will this mainly be your introduction to the group at large?"

"I suppose it will be my formal introduction, but I have important business as well. I will be presenting a motion to submit my memories and ask for charges against Sirius to be cleared."

"Well, that will certainly liven up the session. I can't say I am surprised. I hope you are prepared for objections."

"Yes I am. Hermione and I have talked this over though and I am well within my rights. Despite prejudices against Sirius, this should actually be fairly straightforward with the memories I can submit."

"Ah, but I am afraid very little is ever straightforward with the Wizengamot. But we shall see what happens on Monday. Now, my floo is open if you wish to use it. I will most likely be here late with all that I have to work on."

Harry nodded and said goodnight to Professor McGonagall before stepping to the floo, tossing in some powder and then putting his head in the flames as he called for the Burrow. Twenty seconds later, Molly answered him.

"Harry! I heard you've been busy. Is everything alright?"

"For now Molly, but I do need to talk to Arthur immediately if I may. It won't take long, but Hermione and I need to come through for a visit."

"What? Of course. Come on. Let me call Arthur in."

Harry pulled his head out of the fire and then took Hermione's hand as they stepped through to the Burrow. Arthur and Molly were waiting and embraced them briefly. As Harry stepped back, he noticed a recently familiar face who was also in the room.

"Hello Lady Bones. I hadn't expected to see you again so soon."

"Nor I you. I was just visiting my friends and letting them know about the recent developments. Given Arthur's position at the Ministry, the fact that they have several children enrolled at Hogwarts, and the fact that they are friends with yourself I  
thought it would be good for me to visit before the paper arrived in the morning. I suppose though that's why you are here now. Perhaps I should leave."

"No need. I only need to talk with Arthur and Molly briefly. But this is house business, can you give us a few minutes?"

"Of course Lord Potter. I'll wait in the living room."

Amelia left and Harry turned back to Mr. Weasley.

"Harry, or should I say Lord Potter, how is the start of school going? Given Amelia's arrival and what I just heard, it doesn't sound like things have been quiet."

"Harry is fine Arthur. There is a time for the titles, but with friends I prefer to not use them as much as possible. School has taken a momentous start, but before I explain, I have a question for you."

"Of course Harry. You know that we regard you and Hermione as family. What can I do?"

"Arthur, your family has indeed been very welcoming to us and I would like to strengthen that bond. I wish to offer House Weasley a formal alliance with the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter."

Arthur looked stunned for a minute and glanced quickly over at Molly. She was equally stunned, but then she smiled.

"I understand Arthur if you need time…"

"On the contrary Lord Potter. House Weasley would be more than happy to formalize the alliance that we already feel is in place."

"Excellent. Then, I, Harry James Potter do hereby offer a formal alliance between House Weasley and the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. What say you?"

"I, Arthur Septimus Weasley, do hereby happily accept an alliance between House Weasley and the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. So mote it be."

Harry felt a brief tingle in his signet ring, much like when Neville had allied with House Potter earlier. With that business done, it was now time to make his first request for assistance.

"Thank you Arthur, now I need to make my first request of our alliance. I have recently had quite a lot of information divulged to me regarding my history, as well as that of Tom Riddle. I made an alliance with Scion Longbottom earlier today and I would  
like to meet with all of your family, Neville, his grandmother, Sirius and Remus this coming Saturday. I was thinking mid-afternoon. I expect the discussions to take a couple hours at minimum."

"Wow, alright Harry. You and the others are welcome at any time of course. Who from my family would you like present?"

"Everyone except Percy. I think each person can offer something unique, but that will become evident after we speak."

Molly frowned and then looked sad at the exclusion of Percy, but Arthur nodded and seemed to understand.

"Alright. So, this will be a meeting of House Potter and its allies? Have you formalized with House Black yet?"

"No, I actually was thinking of popping over to Grimmauld after we leave here. I guess I assumed since Sirius is my godfather that the alliance is already in place."

"Well, an individual alliance between the two of you is in place, but not between your houses. If I may offer a bit of advice, I would suggest that you formalize an alliance with House Black. Despite Sirius' fugitive status, the charges were never formalized  
by trial and thus the goblins don't acknowledge them. That leaves Sirius still able to conduct House Black business while in hiding. Also, I have another recommendation…"

Arthur paused for a moment and seemed tentative suddenly.

"Go ahead Arthur, I appreciate any advice you have. I'm still new to much of the business of being a Lord."

"Well, House Weasley is not anywhere near the stature of House Potter, but since you are willing to indulge me. My next suggestion is that you consider an alliance with House Bones, especially since Amelia is here now. The house is small, just Amelia  
and her niece Susan now, but Amelia is head of the DMLE. I personally can vouch for her character and stance for the light."

Harry contemplated what Arthur was suggesting. His opinion held great importance for him and he could see the benefit of being allied with the head of the DMLE. She had also been quite helpful in his meeting with the board.

 _Love, what is your feeling about an alliance with House Bones? Obviously allying with House Black makes sense now that Arthur has pointed it out, but I'm a bit overwhelmed right now._

 _I understand Harry, but I think I agree with Arthur. I've gotten to know Susan well in arithmancy lessons and she speaks highly of her aunt. Amelia has cared for her since Susan's parents were killed by Death Eaters._

 _Really? Why didn't I know that about Susan? Well, that would certainly make Amelia a dedicated crusader against Voldemort. I suppose then I should call her in and make another alliance. I wonder what the record is for number of house alliances created in a single day?_

Harry listened as Hermione chuckled mentally and he looked back to Arthur.

"Arthur, my wife is in agreement with your assessment on an alliance with House Bones. I think I might as well take care of this now."

Arthur nodded and stepped to the side so that Harry could cross to the living room. He found Lady Bones reading a magazine. She looked up and gave him a small smile.

"Lady Bones, thank you for your patience. I have been in discussion with Arthur and am pleased to announce that House Weasley is now formally allied with House Potter. With that complete, Arthur added some advice for me. I would now like to offer an alliance  
with House Bones as well, as long as you don't feel it will conflict with your legal duties with the DMLE."

Amelia stood up and appraised the young lord in front of her. Despite his age, he had the bearing of a true lord, much more than some who carried that title and flaunted it around the Ministry.

"Lord Potter, while I am a bit surprised, I am also honored that you would consider an alliance with House Bones. As for any conflict, that is not a concern as long as you realize that there may be information that I am in possession of and which I have  
foresworn secrecy regarding that I cannot disclose even to allies. I don't anticipate this to be frequent, but it may occur."

"I understand Lady Bones. When I offer an alliance, I do not mean to compromise your position. I am offering the alliance so that I can share specific information with my allies and have the information protected under house magic. I would also appreciate  
your assistance with my efforts to make the Ministry acknowledge Voldemort's return and act on it."

"Well then, I see no issue with making an alliance Lord Potter. You should know that this will make headlines and anger more than a few people."

Harry snorted.

"Making headlines is something I do and I am past caring what the general populace thinks. Now, I, Harry James Potter, do hereby offer a formal alliance between House Bones and the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter."

"I, Amelia Susan Bones, do hereby graciously accept a formal alliance between House Bones and the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. So mote it be."

Harry felt the familiar tingle in his signet and smiled at Amelia.

"Thank you Lady Bones…"

"Lord Potter, if we may, can we drop the title and just use names?"

"That would be welcome Amelia, thank you. Now, have you had a chance to discuss the dealings at the school with Arthur and Molly?"

"Not yet, we were just getting to that when your call came through."

Hermione went back to the kitchen and asked Arthur and Molly to join them. Once everyone found seats, Harry decided to deal with house business.

"Arthur, I accepted your advice and House Potter is now allied with House Bones. Along with your alliance, House Potter is also allied with House Longbottom and most likely will shortly be allied with House Black. As I mentioned earlier, I wish to meet  
with all my allies this weekend to discuss a wealth of new information that has recently been disclosed to me. Along with yourself, Molly and the six of your children, I'd also like to invite Sirius, Remus, Neville, his grandmother, the Grangers,  
Amelia and Susan. That is if you think Susan should attend with us Amelia?"

"Yes Harry, I think it is a wise idea to have Susan present. The two of us are all there is to House Bones now. I guarantee that she is trustworthy."

"I have no doubt about that Amelia. Now, there will be much to discuss on Saturday, but I think Arthur and Molly need to be made aware of the news regarding the school that will most likely be in the Prophet in the morning. Hermione my love, do you mind?"

Hermione nodded and turned to the Weasleys. She then succinctly detailed them on all that had happened, with the placement of Umbridge by the Ministry, her attitude in class, the ensuing duel, and her and Harry's instatement of Founders' rights and dismissal  
of the board. When she finished, the two of them looked a bit pale and stunned. Molly was the first to recover and respond.

"Alright, well I suppose that explains Amelia's sudden visit. I can't believe the Founders' rights are actually true. I thought those were old stories. Thank you for warning us before the morning paper arrives. So Saturday will have even more disclosures?"

"Yes Molly. The news we bring tonight is public knowledge. What we have to discuss this weekend is decidedly more and very private. That is one reason for invoking the alliances. This way we can use the house magic to bind everyone's secrecy vows. Also, speaking of secrecy vows, I need to discuss something else with you Amelia. This may be your first conflict of interest between your vow with the DMLE and your alliance vow."

Amelia looked wary, but nodded for Harry to continue.

"There will be an ally at the meeting who is a wanted criminal but who will be under my protection."

"Damn, alright, who?"

"Sirius Black, but wait please and let me explain. First, were you aware that Sirius is my bound godfather by oath? Remus Lupin can give oath that he was witness. Sirius could not have betrayed me to Voldemort or he would be dead. Also, if you check your own records, you will find no record of a trial convicting Sirius. Now that I am able to take my title, I will be petitioning for a review of his case at the next Wizengamot meeting. I can offer you an oath and memories of all I'm telling you."

Amelia looked stunned as Harry did just that, raising his wand and giving full magical oath. Hermione then produced a phial, filled it with memories, and handed it to her. She then proceeded to state the old laws.

"I know this is difficult Amelia, but we are justified under the laws of the Ancient Houses of 1259, prior to the founding of the current Ministry in 1391. The Ancient Houses and their laws of Alliance predate the governances laid down by the Ministry, including those of the DMLE. I think though when you view these memories though you will see that in fact it is the Ministry that has trod rather haphazardly on the laws via past administrations."

Amelia was looking pained but nodded, then accepted the drink that Arthur handed her without prompting. After she downed it, she finally nodded and then finally turned back to Harry.

"Alright Lord Potter, the meeting this weekend should prove interesting. As should these memories. I am glad that we don't have long to wait until the next Wizengamot meeting. As for you, Mrs. Potter, I don't suppose you've considered a career in law?"

Hermione just smirked, while Arthur chuckled and redirected the conversation.

"So, I suppose since you have invoked Founders' rights that we won't need to worry about how to get everyone out of school on Saturday?"

"No Arthur. We have open use of the headmaster's floo. Also, you should know, that along with dissolving the board we requested additional changes to the school. Namely, we asked that Remus be brought back to teach DADA despite what anyone thinks about  
his affliction. Also, Professor Snape will now only be teaching NEWT level Potions. The headmaster is securing a professor to teach up to OWL level. Divination is no longer compulsory and the headmaster is also seeking a replacement professor to teach  
History of Magic."

Amelia shook her head and smirked at the two young people.

"Well, forget about making waves. Sounds like Tsunami Potter is hitting Hogwarts."

That brought a round of laughter from everyone and finally broke the tension. The night was growing late and Harry and Hermione said their goodbyes as they made their way to the floo. Although he hadn't thought about it earlier, Harry realized that he  
needed to speak to Sirius and made their next stop Grimmauld Place. The floo at Grimmauld was keyed open to a few people, including Harry, and they stepped through immediately. The floo alarm chimed to announce their arrival and Kreacher popped in  
to greet them. Before Harry could ask Kreacher to announce them, Sirius stepped into the room.

"Pup! This is a happy surprise. And hello Hermione my dear."

Sirius hugged them both and then stepped back and saw the look the on Harry's face.

"Well, school has barely started, but I can tell by that look that you've been busy. Making waves already?"

Harry snorted while Hermione retorted.

"Actually, according to Amelia, Tsunami Potter has hit Hogwarts."

"Amelia? Bones? From the DMLE? Alright, come sit. Let me open the bar and prepare myself for this."

Harry accepted a shot of firewhiskey from Sirius, but Hermione desisted. Harry knew she didn't usually like him drinking and sent a mental query to her.

 _It's fine Harry. I can understand a drink now or then. You certainly deserve it after today. Just don't try to keep up with Sirius._

Harry smirked and the pause clued in his godfather.

"Alright you two! You know it's rude to talk behind my back. So, start explaining."

Harry begin to give the details of the day, continuing on through his duel with Umbridge. Then he decided to let Hermione give the details on their invoking the Founders' rights. In between, Sirius refilled himself, but Harry declined. Once Hermione detailed  
the invoking of Founders' rights and their subsequent dismissal of the school board, Harry took back over and detailed the alliances he had put in place for House Potter.

"…so Sirius, I know we have the bond created between the two of us when you became my godfather, but now I'd like to ask if you would formally ally House Black and House Potter?"

Harry paused and let Sirius contemplate his request, while also absorbing everything else he had been told.

"Wow. And I thought the Marauders' turned the school upside down a couple times. It sounds like you're starting with Hogwarts and moving on to the Ministry. James would be proud as hell. So would Lily for that matter, although I think your mum would have  
had some advice for you about letting power go to your head. I suppose though that's why you have your own brilliant witch at your side. So, House Potter is now allied with Longbottom, Weasley and Bones. Any others?"

"I don't think so. The goblins didn't tell us about any alliances when I inherited. And I haven't created any others of my own."

"Aye, well they definitely would have told you. Alliances are quite important. I think that, along with the book on house customs, I have another you should take back with you. It details the various types of house alliances and gives historical examples.  
Of course, the book is probably close to a hundred years old, but it will give some background. Now, about our houses allying. I can practically hear my father's ghost rising from the grave to take revenge on me, but I wholeheartedly agree to an alliance."

"Thanks Sirius. Now, I, Harry James Potter of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter do hereby offer an alliance with the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black."

"And I, Sirius Orion Black, do hereby accept the offered alliance between the Most Ancient and Noble Houses of Black and Potter. So mote it be."

For the fourth time that day, Harry felt the familiar signet tingle and smiled at his godfather.

"Excellent. Now, my first request of our alliance is to have you attend a meeting occurring at the Burrow this coming Saturday at three in the afternoon. All of the allies of House Potter and hopefully Neil and Jean will be present while I explain quite  
a few other details of great import. Also, Molly insisted that everyone stay for dinner after."

"I'll be there of course pup. I guess I should stop calling you that. Who all will be there. Wait, will Amelia be there? That could be a bit of a sticky wicket. So, more details of import? You haven't done enough today?"

"This isn't about what I've done Sirius. I finally got Dumbledore to give me all the information he should have told me years ago. Much of it is shocking and I will need everyone's support. Yes, that includes Amelia. She knows you'll be there as well and that you're under my protection. I gave her my oath and memories and I told her I'll be petitioning for you at the next Wizengamot. She doesn't like it, but she can't deny the old laws I'm using."

"Well alright. I guess I'll see you on Saturday then."

"And Harry and I really should get back to school. It's already past curfew and we are using the headmaster's floo."

"Not that curfew applies anymore to you since you wear the Founders' rings."

"I suppose not, but we do have to get back. I still need to make an announcement to the school at breakfast before the post arrives."

"I understand. One moment though while I fetch that book."

Sirius left for a couple minutes and returned with the book he had mentioned. Hermione took it from him while he wished them good luck and then hugged them both before Harry and Hermione stepped into the floo and arrived back in the headmaster's office.  
Despite the late hour, Dumbledore was still at his desk.

"Ah, Lord and Lady Potter, welcome back. I hope your errand went well."

"Quite well headmaster. You will undoubtedly hear shortly, but House Potter is now allied with Houses Weasley, Bones and Black, as well as Longbottom."

"Indeed? You have been busy this evening. Well, I am certain that those houses will provide much needed support for you in what is to come."

"Yes. I have scheduled a meeting with my allies for this coming Saturday at 3 pm at the Burrow. Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Susan Bones will all be leaving the school for the meeting and will return with us probably sometime between eight and  
nine."

"Understood. I'll let Minerva and Pomona know in our staff meeting tomorrow. Now, while you have been busy with your house business, I have been pursuing the points we discussed regarding the school. First, I believe I have tracked down Remus and have  
a letter in route to him. Also, I am pleased to report that Andromeda Tonks has accepted the part time position of Potions professor for years 1 through 5. I am still reviewing a list of potential candidates for History of Magic."

"Andromeda Tonks? Is she related to Dora Tonks?"

"Yes, she is Nymphadora's mother. Also, she is Sirius' cousin and sister to Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange, although she was disowned when she married a muggleborn.I think you will get along well with her."

 _Nice. The wonderful web of intermarried purebloods is boggling._

Harry suppressed a chuckle at Hermione's mental notation.

"Well, if she is Tonks' mum I'm sure she'll be alright. Thank you for getting to work on this immediately headmaster. Now, I need some rest. This has been a long day and I expect that our announcements in the morning will make tomorrow interesting as  
well."

Dumbledore wished them a good night as they left his office and made their way back to their apartment. Once they were back, each changed and immediately went to bed. They spent a half hour laying in each other's arms, talking and trading a few kisses  
before they finally dozed off.

The alarm the next morning seemed to come too soon, but Harry was surprisingly awake as he thought about what was coming for the day. He and Hermione opted for separate showers to ensure they arrived at breakfast on time. As they prepared to leave the  
apartment, they embraced and whispered encouraging words to each other. When they arrived in the Great Hall, a few people noticed that they were wearing their formal house robes over their school uniforms, but no one was ready yet at the early hour  
to question them. The hall was still only half full, so they sat down and ate a bit while they waited for the hall to fill. Once it seemed that most everyone had arrived, Harry gave Hermione's hand a squeeze and they stood up from the table and walked  
to the front of the hall. That got everyone's attention as the usual chatter quieted and all eyes watched Lord and Lady Potter. After the duel the previous day and the dismissal of Umbridge, everyone was waiting to see what Harry would do next. When  
they reached the front, Dumbledore had stepped forward and gave them a brief smile as he stood behind Harry as Hermione cast the sonorous charm. Taking a deep breath, Harry addressed the hall.

"Good morning everyone. As many of you probably heard, there was a significant event in our fifth year DADA class yesterday. Following that event, there were some additional changes that I now need to make you aware of. For those of you who haven't heard,  
or who might have not heard the complete story, yesterday I won a duel against our former DADA professor Dolores Umbridge. She insulted myself and my house after several warnings and accepted an immediate duel. Upon defeating her, I, Lord Harry James  
Potter, granted her her life, but insisted that she leave Hogwarts permanently. Scion Longbottom was fair witness to the duel and the headmaster and Professor McGonagall reviewed our memories after and found that I had conducted myself in proper fashion  
and within my rights. Despite that, there was still another issue that needed to be addressed. Professor Umbridge was placed in her position by the Ministry and specifically by Minister Fudge so that Hogwarts could be brought under Ministry control.  
This was allowed since the headmaster had not been able to find someone to fill that position. Even with Umbridge's departure, it still meant that the Ministry could replace her with someone of Fudge's choosing. This would have been quite detrimental  
to the school, so I took additional measures to prevent this. While you all are aware that I hold the title of Lord Potter, what you are not aware of is that I also wear the Hogwarts' Founder's ring for Godric Gryffindor, as I am a distant descendant…"

That statement caused a loud hiss of comments throughout the hall and Harry paused to allow the room to quiet again. Once it had, he continued.

"In addition, my lady has inherited the Hogwarts' Founder's Ring for Rowena Ravenclaw through a matriarchal line tied to my house. Now, for those who aren't aware, this grants us two of the four votes under the original Founder's rights for the school.  
The other two votes would go to descendants of Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Unfortunately, House Hufflepuff is no more and that ring has been destroyed. The heir for Slytherin is Lord Voldemort and he has yet to claim his ring. That means that myself  
and my lady would hold majority vote over the school if we reinstated Founders' rights, which were replaced by the current Board of Governors centuries ago. Yesterday afternoon we did just that and yesterday evening we met with the board and officially  
dismissed them…"

Harry was once again stopped as the hall erupted in noise and chaos. He was about to ask the headmaster for assistance when Hermione set off two canon blast spells and called the room to order. Harry gave her a mental nudge to continue and Hermione took  
over.

"Now, if you can all remain quiet for a bit longer, there is more that you need to know. First, if you are in doubt about our right to take control of the school, then you should understand that the castle's magic has accepted us, as did most of the board  
rather begrudgingly. I know this seems drastic, but it was the best alternative. Allowing the Ministry to interfere at the school would be disastrous. I know many of you doubt what my husband has told you about Lord Voldemort's return, but it is true  
and he has submitted the memories under veritaserum to prove it. Minister Fudge may not want to acknowledge the truth, because it disturbs the peace and order he prefers, but soon he will not have a choice. In the meantime, Hogwarts needs to remain  
as it was designed, a separate entity outside the control of the Ministry. Along with severing this control, there are several other changes that we requested and the headmaster agreed to. Headmaster Dumbledore will now explain those items, but before  
he speaks Harry and I want all of you to know that we value Hogwarts greatly and want only what is best to maintain it as the premier wizarding educational institution for Britain. If any of you has concerns or suggestions, please let us or your house  
heads know. This was not something we originally sought out, but it is what we were driven to do. We hope you all can understand."

Hermione stopped and turned to nod at the headmaster while Harry mentally cheered her. Dumbledore took his cue and stepped forward.

"Thank you Lord and Lady Potter. The invoking of Founders' rights is indeed a drastic measure, but one that I agree with given the extraordinary circumstances we currently find ourselves under. Now, there will be some immediate additional changes that  
you need to know about. First, Defense Against the Dark Arts is cancelled for the rest of this week. It is my hope that the new professor will be able to start this coming Monday. Next, I am currently conducting interviews for a new History of Magic  
professor. Finally, the Potions professor position is going to be split into two. Professor Snape will continue to teach all NEWT level students, while a new professor will be teaching the lower grades starting on Monday. Until that time, the lower  
grades will not have Potions lessons. Any questions can be directed to your house heads."

Dumbledore finished and returned to his seat, as did Harry and Hermione. The hall was bedlam again as everyone began discussing the momentous news. As Harry looked around the hall, he found that most everyone was looking at him curiously. Half of Slytherin  
and a handful of others around the hall seemed to be glaring at him, but he shrugged that off. He also caught the eye of Professor Snape sitting up front and thought that the look he was given was positively murderous. Rubbing his house signet, he  
shot a quick piercing mind jab at the professor before turning back to Gryffindor table. A few minutes later the post arrived and delivered copies of the Prophet around the hall. Hermione took hers and they looked it over. On the whole it seemed to  
cover the facts. Then they reached the bottom third and found a statement from Fudge. The Minister was incensed and made it clear that he was going to have the Ministry legal department look at appealing the Founders' rights. That was a bit annoying,  
but Hermione wasn't concerned, knowing that the Hogwarts' charter had stood for much longer than the Ministry legal department had even been established.

Along with the Prophet deliveries, the owls brought the usual mail, including a letter from Arthur to his children. Across the hall, Susan also received a letter from her aunt informing her of the alliance forged the night before. As George whispered  
across the table to Harry, questioning him on the alliance, Harry decided a brief conference was in order. Once everyone finished the last of their food, all the Weasleys and Neville got up to follow Harry and Hermione. On the way out, Hermione stepped  
over to the Hufflepuff table.

"Good morning Susan. We still have a few minutes before class. Can you please join us?"

Susan nodded and left the table to join the rest of the group. They made their way quickly to the Potters' apartment. Once everyone was in and privacy wards were cast, Harry looked around at all his friends.

"Hello everyone. I understand you're probably still adjusting to everything. I know Arthur sent notice to his family regarding the alliance between House Weasley and House Potter. Susan, I saw you received a letter. Did your aunt inform you as well?"

"Yes Harry. Aunt Amelia advised that House Bones is now allied with House Potter as well."

"Excellent. So that you are all aware, House Longbottom and House Black are also allied with us. I pursued these alliances for a couple reasons. I have obviously been targeted by Voldemort and now I find myself in a battle with the Ministry. I value you  
all as friends and know that I can rely on you here at school and elsewhere. Susan, we aren't as acquainted as I am with the others, but my amazing wife has assured me that she feels the same about you. The other reason for the alliances is to allow  
me to divulge some information and keep it under the special secrecy vows that house alliances allow. With that in mind, I have arranged a meeting with all my allies this coming Saturday at 3 pm at the Burrow. Molly has kindly offered to provide dinner  
after. I have spoken with the headmaster and we will all be floo'ing from his office to the Burrow."

Everyone took a moment to accept that bit of news, then Fred spoke up.

"Alright Harry. You know we've had your back for years now. Whatever you need. Who all will be at this meeting?"

"All the allies. That is all of your family, except Percy. Also, Neville, his grandmother, Susan and her aunt, Sirius, Remus and Hermione's parents."

"Muggles will be there?"

"Yes Ron, Hermione's parents will be there. Or, at least I hope they will be. Hermione will be sending them a letter later this morning. They are family and need to hear what we have to say. They have already shown their support by accepting our bonding."

"Okay Harry. I'm still a bit stunned, but I am sure Aunt Amelia knows what she is doing. I trust Hermione and thus I trust you."

"Thank you Susan. So, any questions before we get on to class?"

No one had anything further and the group dissolved as the different classes went to their separate classrooms. As the fifth years walked to Charms, Harry and Hermione did their best to ignore the stares and whispers from all directions.


	13. A Meeting Among Friends

Chapter 13 – A Meeting Among Friends

After class that day Hermione wrote a letter to her parents, detailing everything that had happened and requesting their attendance on Saturday. As she was writing, the subject of transportation came up and it was decided to ask Arthur to retrieve them and apparate them back to the Burrow. So, before she sent the letter home, Hermione sent a quick note to the Burrow. The next morning, Hedwig returned with an affirmative reply from Arthur. Hermione added a note to her parents' letter and then sent it off before she and Harry headed down to have breakfast in the Great Hall.

"Well, it seems that all is set for Saturday. I'm assuming my parents will be there since this is so important. The issue of transport made me think of something else."

"Yes love?"

"Well, since we're legally emancipated, shouldn't we be able to receive apparition training? With everything else going on, I would think it would be a minor request."

Harry stopped and looked at his wife, pulling her close for a quick kiss.

"Of course dear. Why didn't I think of that? We'll talk to Dumbledore later and see how we can arrange it. In our copious spare time of course."

Hermione giggled and gave Harry one more peck before they entered the Great Hall. After their first two classes and lunch, they had a break and decided to check in with the headmaster. The gargoyle recognized them and passed them through readily. Dumbledore was buried in a stack of parchment, but smiled as they entered.

"Good day. Is everything alright? No difficulties since your announcement?"

"No, nothing yet. We just had a question that we were hoping you could help with. Since we're emancipated, shouldn't we be able to train for apparition?"

"Well I hadn't considered it, but you are correct Hermione. Apparition is taught by authorized trainers from the Ministry. The class is usually offered later in the year for all legally aged students. If you wanted to train sooner, you can write to the Ministry and request private instruction…or…I just thought of something. Your new Potions professor once worked with the Ministry and was an instructor for several years. I've never heard of an instructor losing their certification. You may try checking with Andi next week when she arrives. I daresay she will be busy settling in, but perhaps once she does she will help you."

"Really? That would help greatly to have someone here in the castle. Thank you headmaster."

"Of course. Now, while you are here, I have some other updates on the changes you requested. I've received a reply from Remus and he has agreed to return to teach. His first letter was a bit guarded, but once I explained that you were the one who requested him under Founders' rights, his next reply was much more enthusiastic. I believe he is on his way back now and will be staying at Grimmauld for a few days. He will be arriving at the castle later next week and starting the week after that. Also, I should have the new History of Magic teacher starting then as well. Her name is Fiona O'Brien and she graduated from Dumcree a couple years ago. She's been working on a research project that recently lost funding and was most pleased to find a position."

"Well, that's good to hear. It'll be good to have Remus back. Where is Dumcree? Is that a school?"

"Yes Harry, a small but elite wizarding school in the far north of County Limerick, Ireland. It is the only other wizarding school in Britain, although it is significantly smaller than Hogwarts. It offers a narrower range of subjects, taught over an intensive five year period. That is why we have a number of students from Ireland that come to Hogwarts instead."

"Interesting, well we'll see how the classes go. Thank you headmaster."

With that, Harry and Hermione left the office and went to the Gryffindor common room to study before their last class of the day, Ancient Runes. Harry was busy simultaneously studying new material and revising old material with Hermione in an effort to catch up. Their bond helped significantly with this effort and Harry already realized how important Runes were to an overall understanding of magic from a base level. That evening found them studying back in the common room. Although they had their apartment, they both felt it was good to keep their connection with their friends in Gryffindor.

The last of the week passed quickly and soon Saturday arrived. Harry woke earlier than he usually would on the weekend and soon realized what the problem was. Hermione had rolled over and her placement had her positioned so that Harry's hand was unconsciously holding her breast. Although barely awake, his body responded and he was at full arousal rather than his usual morning half hardness. Groaning, he began to fondle the handful while starting to nuzzle his wife's neck. It didn't take long before Hermione started to groan and complain about the wake up call. Harry kept up his ministrations, while working his hand under her gown to fondle lower as well. He shifted a bit and pressed his arousal against her thigh also. Soon she was more awake and yawned, smiling at him.

 _My, getting an early start are we?_

 _You look so fucking sexy I can't help myself._

 _Language dear._

 _Just wait, I'll have you saying the same thing._

With that, his mouth found hers as he drove his tongue in and started to grind against her, while increasing the speed of his fingers between her legs. She quickly yielded to him, rolling over and spreading herself wider as her hips thrust to drive his fingers into her deeper. Harry was groaning at the throbbing pain between his legs and couldn't take it anymore as he removed his fingers and quickly replaced them with his aching manhood. His sudden entrance made her eyes fly open as she started to quake.

"Fuck! Yes! Gods Harry, yes!"

"See, I told you I'd make you say the same."

"Stop talking and move already!"

Harry chuckled and picked up his speed. Hermione climaxed almost immediately due to his early warm up work. He kept up an insistent pace and, when he drove her over the edge again, he joined her. As he poured his last into her, his tension resolved and they both collapsed back to sleep.

A couple hours later, Harry woke again at a more reasonable hour. He was semi aroused as usual, but not intolerably so. Deciding that he didn't want to be social with anyone but his wife, he summoned Dobby and asked for breakfast trays. The sound of the elf's return woke Hermione, who was quite pleased to see breakfast. They ate in bed while discussing the upcoming day. As they finished eating, Hermione only had fruit left and smirked at Harry as she sensually began to run her tongue on a strawberry before gently nibbling it. Harry had never realized how damn sexy a piece of fruit could be, but as he watched her mouth work, the animal in him began to growl. Casting aside their trays, he was on her again. As he moved to position himself though, she had other ideas and pushed him back before moving to straddle him. Leaving herself poised just above his dripping shaft, she took her last strawberry and proceeded to run it across his chest before leaning over to lick the juice off him. As she placed the strawberry in her mouth, she bent over to offer him some and he took a bite before their strawberry filled lips found each other. As Harry was distracted by their shared fruit, Hermione suddenly lowered herself onto him. Harry let out a garbled moan and barely held back his eruption as he began to meet her rhythm with his own thrusts. She adjusted herself and slowed down into a pattern of rolling, rocking motions that made her coo in pleasure. Harry marveled for the millionth time at his luck as he took in the sight of his beautiful wife and reached to fondle her breasts. They kept the rhythm for many long minutes before Hermione's panting increased, along with her speed as she approached her finish. When she finally screamed and collapsed on Harry, he rolled her over and finished himself off with a few more strokes into her convulsing core. As he slipped out, she settled and reached to hold him. They stay entwined together, half awake and satisfied for another hour. Eventually Harry roused himself, knowing that they still had a long day ahead. Gently picking his wife up, he carried her to the shower.

After a long and satisfying shower, they decided to use the time to study and finish homework before it was time to depart for the Burrow. At a quarter to three, they gave each other a reassuring look and joined hands as they exited the apartment. Reaching the headmaster's gargoyle, they found all the Gryffindors waiting. Two minutes later, Susan arrived as well and they all made their way into the office. Dumbledore greeted them all merrily and then they stepped into the floo and made their way to the Burrow. Molly was waiting and eagerly welcomed them all, bustling them toward the living room. Arthur was out collecting the Grangers, but Augusta Longbottom, Amelia Bones, Bill and Charlie were waiting for them. Harry greeted them while Neville and Susan introduced their family members to those who hadn't met them. A minute later, a pop outside signaled Arthur's return as he entered with the Grangers. Neil and Jean greeted Harry and Hermione both with hugs and were then introduced to everyone else. While the introductions were underway, two more pops sounded and Sirius and Remus joined the group. After more greetings and introductions, everyone settled in and found a place to sit.

 _Alright love, here we go. I'll let you lead with the secrecy wards and oaths._

Hermione barely nodded and then stood and began to cast additional privacy and secrecy wards. The Weasleys looked a bit startled at the need for additional security since the Burrow was already heavily warded. Once she was done, Hermione sat and addressed the group.

"Alright everyone, I know you're a bit startled that I insisted on more wards, but once you hear what we have to tell you, you'll understand. Now, everyone here are friends, family, allied with House Potter, or a combination thereof. While you are all trusted, we need you all to swear secrecy oaths. This is more to protect this information if you are ever questioned under duress. Harry will administer the oath under House magic. Combined with the alliances, this will strengthen the oath so that it cannot be broken. Mum and dad, since you are non-magical, we have another method for you. We felt it was important that you be here since we are family, but we still have to be concerned about secrecy in case you are ever questioned. I've researched and found two alternative compulsion and confundus charms that I will be combining. As far as I can tell, this has never been tried on non-magicals before, but it should mean that, if you are questioned, even under torture, you will only be able to speak gibberish in regards to what you are about to hear. Of course, I don't even want to think about you being captured or tortured, but we can't be too careful. So, I'd like to start with the two of you?"

Neil and Jean looked a bit pale, but both nodded in the affirmative. Hermione crossed the room and had them both stand as she began the incantations. A faint bluish light settled first over Neil as her wand pressed into his outstretched hand.

"Do you, Neil John Granger, hereby foreswear to keep all you are to hear this afternoon regarding the business of House Potter firmly unto yourself, never to be divulged by either magical or non-magical means?"

"Yes, I swear."

Hermione finished the incantation and moved next to repeat the same with her mother.

"Do you, Jean Elizabeth Granger, hereby foreswear to keep all you are to hear this afternoon regarding the business of House Potter firmly unto yourself, never to be divulged by either magical or non-magical means?"

"Yes."

Hermione finished the second incantation and smiled at her parents.

"Alright, that is the best we can do without you having magic to be bound. Thank you. Let's hope it's never necessary."

Hermione turned and sat as she nodded to Harry. He rose and looked around at everyone else.

"Okay, for everyone else, please stretch out your right hands with your wands in your palms."

Everyone did as instructed. Susan and Ginny both looked a bit excited at this new demonstration of magic.

"Repeat after me. I…state your name…do hereby foreswear on my magic and by my life…"

Around the room, the oaths began as everyone inserted their full names and followed Harry.

"…that I will keep all House Potter secrets divulged to me this day and henceforth, when expressly decided and determined by either the lord or lady of the house…"

Everyone continued to recite the oath as Harry paused.

"…And that I will not be released from this oath except by individual exception. So do I bind now with my magic and my life. So mote it be."

Each person completed their oaths and each wand flared briefly as the individuals finished. Neil and Jean just watched, looking around the room in awe. As Harry was about to continue, Neil spoke up.

"Harry, a quick question for us non-magicals. That oath, by my magic and my life, does that mean that if anyone here breaks the oath, they die?"

"No Neil, not in the physical sense. If anyone breaks that house bound oath, they will permanently lose their magic forever. Many would consider that worse than death. It also means that the oath cannot be broken by any charm or potion."

Neil nodded as Harry turned back to the rest of the room.

"Alright, thank you everyone for your oaths. I know some may consider it extreme now, but I think that very shortly you may think otherwise. I've gathered alliances and bring you all here today because I need your help. First, there are some in this room who are members of the Order of the Phoenix and may be partially familiar with the first piece of information I need to tell you. For those who are unaware, the Order of the Phoenix was founded during the first war with Voldemort. It is an elite, information gathering and subterfuge organization that works within the Ministry, businesses and other elements of wizarding society to covertly fight against Voldemort. Now, some in the Order have been told that the reason I am being targeted by Voldemort is due to a prophecy that I was given before I was born. I don't believe those members know the prophecy, or at least the full extent of it. So, here is the prophecy, as Dumbledore heard it when Professor Trelawney spontaneously delivered it over fifteen years ago:

 **The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...** "

Harry paused after delivering the prophecy and looked around the room. There was shock on most faces. Several looked uncommonly pale. Molly was clutching onto Arthur. Ginny looked like she was close to tears, which was unusual for her. Harry held Hermione's hand and glanced at her. She nodded and took over as the room remained silent.

"So, you now know some of the reason for the secrecy. We've talked this over with Dumbledore and here is the interpretation of the different elements from the prophecy. First, there were two couples who could fit in the category of having thrice defied Voldemort. First, Frank and Alice Longbottom. Second, Harry's parents. Next, the mention that the person would be born as the seventh month dies. The Longbottoms and Potters both had one child, each of whom sits here in this room. Neville's birthday is July 30th and Harry's is July 31st, so again it could be either of them. Finally, the third identifier is that the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal. This is where Voldemort chose Harry. For whatever reason he targeted the Potters first and, when he gave Harry his scar, he marked him as the one who could defeat him."

Hermione paused and Harry couldn't help but lock eyes with Neville. Quiet and unassuming, Neville had recently started to come into his own. He had been a good and true friend for over five years and now he was an ally. He looked stunned and then he shook his head and seemed to come to.

"Bloody hell! You mean everything that happened to you could have been me?"

Ginny reached over and took Neville's hand as she shot him a comforting look. Hermione smirked at that. She had thought something may be brewing there. When they got past world shaking news, they'd need to have a girl talk.

"Yes Neville, it could have been either of us. I know from a couple of comments among the Order that your parents were also attacked. I've never asked, but I can only assume the worst since your grandmother raised you. It's not my business, but I'm sorry."

Neville looked down for a moment and squeezed Ginny's hand tighter. Then he looked back at Harry.

"Actually Harry, it is your business. Our houses are allied now, so you deserve to know. I should have told you all a long time ago…My parents…they were…attacked by the Lestranges. Bellatrix tortured them for hours…crucio. She didn't kill them, but she drove them out of their minds. They're at St. Mungo's permanently. I visit them on holidays, but…but they don't even recognize me."

Neville was barely holding himself together as he trembled. Ginny finally gave in and crawled into his lap, hugging him. The two sat with their foreheads together. Harry couldn't help but smile. Looking around the room, he saw a mixture of smiles and curious expressions. After allowing Neville a minute, Harry spoke up.

"Wow Neville. I don't know what to say. I wish I had known. I think you actually do have it worse. I am glad to see you have certain, um, supporters."

Neville blushed and looked at Ginny. Seeing them, Bill spoke up next.

"Alright, I know Harry has more to discuss, but first things first. Longbottom, as the eldest of the Weasley brothers, I demand to know what your intentions are with my baby sister?"

Neville turned deeper crimson and Ginny exploded.

"Intentions? Really Bill? I'm not a baby and his intentions and mine are quite the same."

"Ginevra, wand down. No hexing your brother."

Ginny turned and frowned at her father, who was trying not to look amused. Neville stood up and came to her side.

"Bill, Arthur, everyone, Ginny and I met a few times over the summer and decided we wanted to pursue our feelings and try being more than friends. We've just decided to start pursuing this and see what happens. I feel lucky that she is interested in me and give you my word that I will always treat her well."

"Well said Neville and thank you. As her father, I am the least you need to worry about, although I am sure you know that. Augusta, any concerns?"

"What? Of course not Arthur. Ginny is a lovely young lady. I just hope you both put your studies first."

Harry looked back and forth between the two families. This meeting had just taken a major, but happy detour. Now he had to get it back on track.

"Alright, well my congratulations to both my friends. As much as I wish I could focus on happier subjects, there is still much more I need to tell you. Once Dumbledore told me the prophecy, the next request I had was for him to share any information he had on Voldemort that I might need to know to fight him. Dumbledore has been researching Tom Riddle's past from before he entered Hogwarts, as well as what he did after he left school. Dumbledore has collected a number of memories and we have had a chance to view them. Now, here is what has been pieced together regarding Tom Riddle…"

Harry proceeded to go into all the details of Tom's lineage and his time at Hogwarts. When he finished, he chugged half a glass of water and once again let all the information settle before he continued.

"So, Tom Riddle, who we now know as Lord Voldemort, is actually a half blood from the last dregs of Slytherin's line. It's quite ironic since he espouses pureblood ideals. Despite his past, he was uncommonly bright and especially cunning. He began to woo followers to his side from his first days at school. The next question is what did he do after school? Finally, the most important question: how has he managed to return? The answer to this brings about the most disturbing piece of information. The last memory Dumbledore showed me was one that had been forcibly modified by a former professor who was charmed by Tom and later regretted their friendship. Although the memory was modified, it still gives an answer to the most important question. Tom specifically was asking his potions professor, and head of Slytherin house, about a piece of dark magic called a horcrux…"

Harry's words were cut off as Bill leapt out of his chair and spewed an impressive stream of language, not all of it in English. Once he finished, he looked sheepish and apologized to Harry as he sat back down.

"No worries Bill. Obviously as a curse breaker, you've heard mention of a horcrux. For those who haven't heard of it, it is a way by which a wizard can separate a piece of their soul and place it in an object. By then hiding that object, the wizard can never be completely killed. As long as the soul piece remains, the wizard can be restored to life. Which answers how Voldemort managed to return earlier this year. The problem with the modified memory is that the discussion was around a number of horcruxes and that is the part that is obscured. Dumbledore believes from his research and personal knowledge of Tom, that he would have chosen a powerful magic number. Three seems too few. Thirteen would most likely be impossible since each soul fragment degrades the original and pushes the individual closer to insanity. So, the logical theory is that Voldemort intended to make seven horcruxes. One though has already been destroyed. Some in this room can probably figure out what I am talking about."

The room was deadly silent as everyone was over traumatized by the deluge of information. Harry glanced briefly at Ginny and she looked at him hard, then the light went on.

"THE DIARY! THE FUCKING WANKER. REALLY?"

"Ginevra!"

"Yes Ginny. And Molly, I think in this circumstance the language is understandable. The way that Tom managed the control he did through that diary was by placing a piece of his soul in it. This was his first horcrux when he was just sixteen and it was probably the most crude. What you should understand is that to create a horcrux requires splitting off a piece of the soul. To do that requires committing a murder."

Neil shook his head and rubbed his temples. The Grangers had been the quietest, as all of this was foreign to them, but now he had to speak up.

"I'm sorry, but what is this about a diary? And you're saying a sixteen year old was working with dark magic and committing murders?"

Harry nodded and then briefly detailed what had happened in the Chamber of Secrets. He and Hermione had given the Grangers the basics before, but the diary had never been mentioned. It became clear as he spoke that Sirius, Augusta and Amelia had never heard the full story either. Once he finished, he braced himself for the most difficult part that he had to do. When he took an overly long pause, Hermione squeezed his hand.

 _Want me to take over for a bit love?_

 _Please._

"Alright, so as Harry mentioned, we are fairly certain that the number of horcruxes Voldemort wanted to make was seven. His first was a rather mundane item, a simple leather bound diary. Dumbledore knew Tom Riddle well and he was quite arrogant in many ways. Dumbledore believes that the first was a test more than anything and the ones created after would have been more significant items, something worth holding a precious piece of Tom's soul. Dumbledore is researching what these could be and will be sharing all information on his research with us. Once we find them, there are only a couple ways to destroy a horcrux. First is with basilisk venom, like how the diary was destroyed. The second is with fiendfyre. Mum, dad, fiendfyre is a volatile bit of dark magic that conjures a fire as hot as the sun and violently uncontrollable. Using it is banned by the Ministry and will incur hefty fines and/or extensive jail time. Now, Voldemort took a while to create his horcruxes. The magic required for them is complex and takes a good bit of preparation. While he was working on his last, something went wrong."

Hermione turned and looked at Harry as she wrapped an arm around him. This next part was his to tell. He took a breath and steeled himself.

"Thank you love, well summarized. Now, the last and most difficult piece of information. It seems likely that Voldemort had prepared to create a horcrux on the night he attacked my parents. Murdering me would be the catalyst to extract the final soul piece. Unfortunately, when the spell backfired, the previous murders of my parents ripped the piece away and it sought a place to live. While a horcrux is usually left in an inanimate object that can be hidden for a long time, a soul piece naturally prefers to lodge in a living being. It seems that the last horcrux settled in the last living being in the house that night, me."

The room had been silent before, and it was again for a brief fraction of a second before the explosion. Exclamations, curses and unintelligible screams enveloped the small room. Seconds later, Molly passed out. Amelia looked close to doing the same. Declaring his sentence to everyone ripped at Harry and he burrowed his head into Hermione's hair as he fought for control. The chaos ensued for several minutes before Neville finally brought the place to order.

"Damn Harry. Is Dumbledore sure? If so, what do we do?"

Harry collected himself and looked around the room.

"Yes Neville, we're sure. You've lived in the same dorm as me. You certainly know I have nightmares. I also have times when my scar burns and I can feel Voldemort's emotions. I also have the gift of parseltongue, which has never been found outside Slytherin's descendants. It seems that, along with a piece of his soul, he transferred some of his abilities. This scar isn't normal, it is where the horcrux lies. If it was on my arm, I'd say cut it off and burn it, but I do need my head. Dumbledore has been researching other methods to destroy a horcrux and has now given Hermione access to his library and notes. She's the best researcher at school. If anyone can find an answer, I know she will. So, this is why I called us all together. You now know what I face. I am here to ask for your support and understanding, as well as any ideas you may have to find and destroy horcruxes. Bill, your position as a cursebreaker makes you an obvious asset. Charlie, we've heard that there are libraries and resources at some of the old dragon preserves. Arthur, Amelia, you have additional resources in the Ministry. Everyone else I am sure will add their own unique input. Mostly I need support now. We both need support. Now that we're bonded, destroying the horcruxes safely has double import."

"Double? Oh shit, you mean?"

"Yes George, this is the part I hate the most. If this was just about me, I could face it easier. Now that I've bonded with this amazing woman, we're one person woven from two people. Every recorded account of soul bonds shows that the bond mates die together."

This final piece of information caused Neil and Jean to finally break down. Harry felt for them terribly. They'd been thrown into the world of magic, even though they would always remain on the fringe. They'd handled everything well, including their daughter's early marriage. Now they were being told that she may follow her husband to an early grave.

"Neil, Jean, I'm so sorry to have to tell you this. I can't apologize for bonding to Hermione. I couldn't imagine not doing so, but I can wish that things were different."

"It just means we need to find a solution Harry my love. And we will."

"Indeed Harry. I'll start using all my free time to research the goblin archives."

"Aye, there's an old library at the reserve. Unusual books that have been placed there to be guarded by the dragons. I'll start looking as soon as I get back."

"And I'll start researching at the Ministry. As the head of the DMLE, I can talk to the Unspeakables. I'll have to be vague, but they've got a lot of material that has been banned from the main Ministry library."

"And I'll start going through the Black library book by book. I should check the vault also. I haven't been in it in an age. There's a bunch of old books there too. If anyone would have information on rare, dark magic, it would be my forsaken ancestors."

"I can't offer any of that Harry, but you've got my friendship and whatever support you need."

Neville's final sentiment was echoed by the others around the room. Harry looked at each one in turn and then turned to close the subject.

"Thank you everyone. While the tangible help with research is important, it is your support and friendship that means the most. If anyone finds anything or has any information, we should keep it out of the owl post. Please floo call the headmaster's office and he will pass on messages. Now, if I may impose, Arthur, do you have something to settle us before we eat?"

"Of course Harry. Wine, butterbeer or firewhisky?"

Everyone agreed to start with a shot of firewhisky. After everything they had heard their nerves needed it. Molly was about to object to Ron and Ginny partaking when Arthur stepped in.

"Molly, it's only one glass. If they want it. I'd wager that it won't be Ron's first and perhaps not Ginny's either."

"Well, I've never had a full glass. Just a few sips."

Molly turned and looked aghast at her youngest while Arthur just nodded. The drinks were passed and everyone raised a toast to a grimacing Harry. Neil and Jean were unprepared for the liquor and Neil was left gasping a bit while Jean smacked her lips and declared it was quite good. Ginny never finished her glass, but Harry noticed that Neville took care of it for her. With the tension somewhat relieved, Molly turned her attention to finalizing dinner. The meal was a bit more somber than the usual affairs at the Burrow, but the food was excellent as always. Once the pudding was done, Harry felt drained and declared he wanted to head back. The other students all joined him and Hermione and made their way back through the floo to the headmaster's office. Dumbledore looked up from a particularly large tome as they all descended.

"Ah, welcome back everyone. I take it all went as well as can be expected?"

Each person nodded at the headmaster and turned to leave his office. Before Harry could take Hermione's hand to exit, Dumbledore called them back. He let everyone else depart before regarding them.

"Now Harry, Hermione, I just want a few moments to give you a very important update. I know this day must have been especially trying. While you were out, I ran an errand of my own. Months of research finally led me to a conclusion that I wanted to check out. Do you remember the Gaunt home that we visited via the pensieve? Well, I decided to go there myself and look it over. The place is falling down, but I did find one corner of the crumbling foundation that had some very odd traces of magic. Of course, it could have been residue left from the previous owners, but I decided to investigate further. As I sifted aside some debris, the traces became more malevolent and it became harder to continue. I'm not bragging when I say that someone of lesser talents would not have been able to proceed. I did finally clear enough that I found a small box buried deep under the older cornerstone. Within there I found what is most certainly another horcrux."

Dumbledore paused and reached out to place a golden globe like object on his desk. The globe was actually not solid, but composed of bands, much like a cage. Within the structure, Harry could see what appeared to be a ring. As he leaned in closer, his scar was suddenly on fire and he dropped to his knees. Exerting his occlumency, he shut down the pain and gathered himself as Hermione grabbed hold of him. After a minute, he was able to stand again and look into the serious eyes of Dumbledore.

"Ah, well I think you just painfully confirmed my suspicion Harry. My apologies, I had hoped the Dankov contraption would contain it enough. It was actually quite worse before I placed it in there. I daresay you wouldn't be able to be in the same room without it. Now, I just found this and I have more research to do. I have a suspicion that I will explain later. I think you have had enough for one day. In the meantime, we need to consider how best to destroy the ring. It is getting late now and I'll let you retire."

Harry just nodded, completely drained after the long day and his exposure to the horcrux. Seeing his exhaustion, Hermione called for Dobby and had the elf pop them back to their apartment. Once there, she led him to the bedroom and undressed him down to his boxers before pushing him into bed. She gave him one final kiss and then gently nudged his mind to urge him to sleep.


	14. The Wizengamot

Chapter 14 – The Wizengamot

The next morning Harry woke early and immediately everything from the day before came flooding back, but before he could be overwhelmed, he realized that he was ensconced in his very comfortable bed with his amazingly soft wife wrapped around him. She was making just the slightest wheezing sound and the rhythm was soothing as he planted a light kiss on her forehead and watched her sleep while his mind worked through everything. Now that he had his allies working on helping him, the next order of business was to help Sirius. The Wizengamot was reconvening after the summer holiday the following day and Harry was going to make his first appearance to claim the Potter seat. The idea had been overwhelming when he first discovered that he had a seat waiting for him, but he'd talked to Sirius and researched a bit with Hermione so it wasn't as daunting. Normally the Wizengamot met twice a month to do business and often much of it was mundane, with measures to adjust the percentages allocated to different Ministry departments and similar boring business. Occasionally a new law would be presented, but those required one month warning to all members. There were also trials that were sometimes held in between sessions, but those also came with sufficient warning. Many of the members opted to be choosy about which sessions to attend. Reassured that he wouldn't be leaving Hogwarts every week to attend to Wizengamot business, Harry felt he was ready and hoped he would only have to average an appearance once a month at the most.

The next day though would definitely be important. Harry had studied the procedures over the summer and sent in a request before school started, announcing his plan to introduce a motion to repeal Sirius' conviction. Since he wasn't introducing a new law or attempting to repeal an existing law, the guidelines around the procedures were much less defined. The plan was to officially take his seat, deal with any other business that came before him on the agenda, and then speak briefly before submitting himself for veritaserum recall. Once that was done, the Wizengamot would decide on three options: decline his request completely, agree to send the case to the DMLE for a full trial (which Sirius had been denied previously), or dismiss all charges immediately. The first two options would require a standard majority vote, while the third option would require a two-thirds quorum. While Harry wished for the last possibility, he knew that the two thirds requirement would be very difficult. Sirius had also warned him that many of the old crowd on the Wizengamot would not take kindly to having a teenager in their midst, hereditary seat or not.

The other issue that Harry had been worrying about was his entry to the Wizengamot chambers. He could hardly walk down Diagon Alley without stares and had been under heavy security all summer. He supposed it was a bit cynical to worry about security within the halls of the Ministry, but Arthur had mentioned that he even was more cautious around his office lately. Perhaps he could ask for an Auror escort? But wouldn't that be a conflict of interest since he was pursuing Sirius' freedom with the DMLE?

 _Perhaps you can hire a goblin guard dear._

Harry tipped his head over and looked into his wife's sleepy eyes.

 _Morning dear, I hadn't realized you were awake. I wanted you to sleep._

 _That's nice love, but my brain is bound to yours and once it started churning with you, my body followed._

 _So, goblin guard? You can hire them?_

 _Of course dear. The goblins will help with just about anything for a price. It would definitely make a statement._

 _Alright, I like that idea._

Harry's thoughts drifted again, this time to his plans for the day. He still had a fair bit of homework and was woefully behind with Runes. As his thoughts churned, Hermione rolled into him tighter and began to run her hand down his chest. Shaken from his thoughts, he turned his head and started kissing his wife long and deep. He was at full rise as Hermione reached and grabbed him, causing him to startle and then continue snogging her. Slowly he rolled over and then slowly entered her as she groaned his name. He set a slow pace, kissing her all over as he reveled in the amazing feeling of being one with her as their minds linked and he felt her slowly start peaking. They stared into each other's eyes as no words were needed and she began to meet his strokes. Many long minutes later he felt her closing in on her climax as he felt his bollocks began to tighten. He continued his pace, while pushing in a bit harder, driving himself a bit deeper as the end finally claimed them both as they called out to each other mentally while the only audible sounds in the room were their matched breaths and subsequent moans. Harry felt as if he was floating on some cloud with the sun beating down on him. Making love to his soulmate was euphoria. He had heard of people using drugs and describing a feeling somewhat like this, but he couldn't imagine how anything artificial could ever match the purity of his and Hermione's joining. As their climax finished, he softened and Hermione whimpered as he slipped out. He wrapped her in his arms and they lay together for another half hour before finally agreeing that it was time to face the day.

After calling Dobby and enjoying a lazy breakfast, they showered together. There were plenty of touches and kisses, but nothing more. Just being together was enough. Once Harry was dressed, he decided it was time to send a letter to Silverstaff to inquire about hiring a couple goblin guards for a few hours. He knew the bank was closed, but hoped to receive a response early the following morning. With the letter sent, he and Hermione gathered their books and headed for the library. Once there they met up with Ron and Luna. They were both surprised to see Ron voluntarily in the library on the weekend until they saw the occasional regular glances at the blonde who sat across from him. Hermione suppressed a smirk and soon the four of them were joined by Ginny, Neville and Parvati. They studied for the rest of the morning and then headed down to lunch together. The weather was glorious and the guys decided to go for a fly in the afternoon while Hermione was heading back to the apartment to read some of the books Dumbledore had loaned her. Just as lunch was finishing, Hedwig swooped down and landed in front of Harry. The note she carried was brief and Harry was surprised at the quick response.

 _Harry, what is it?_

 _A reply from Silverstaff. He wants to meet as soon as possible to arrange the guards for tomorrow. Looks like our afternoon plans have changed._

Hermione nodded while Harry turned his attention to Ron, who was looking back and forth between the two of them.

"You two were mind speaking to each other, weren't you?"

"Yes Ron, its second nature now. We were just discussing the note I received. I have to leave on a bit of house business for a while. It shouldn't take long. I'll find you out at the pitch when I get back."

Ron grumbled a bit but just nodded. Parvati seemed curious and was about to start interrogating when Ginny interceded.

"Vati, please don't ask. If Harry said its house business then it's not something he needs to share."

Parvati seemed a bit shocked as she stared at Ginny and desisted. Harry and Hermione said goodbye to everyone and left the hall to head for the headmaster's office. The gargoyle let them in, but the office was empty. Proceeding to the floo, they quickly made their way to Gringotts. The bank was unnaturally quiet with only a couple of guards around since the bank was actually closed. The guards seemed to expect them and led them to Silverstaff's office without a word. They stepped into the office and goblin looked up at his patrons.

"Good afternoon Lord and Lady Potter. Thank you for your prompt response. I wanted to ensure that arrangements are in place before tomorrow. Now, I know you said you needed a guard for the Wizengamot session, how much resistance do you expect?"

"Actually honorable Silverstaff, I don't expect resistance necessarily. I can't deny the fact though that one or a couple Death Eaters within the Ministry may wish to take advantage of my presence at such a well-publicized event. I would expect any attack would be opportunistic. And it will just be myself, my lady will not be in attendance."

"Alright, I see. In that case three guards should be sufficient. Perhaps two, but no, I think I'd prefer three since you are so high profile. I'd considered sending a full patrol, but that would most likely be excessive and draw attention. The cost for each guard is 20 galleons an hour. Will that be agreeable?"

"Yes sir, that sounds quite sufficient. Thank you."

"Very good. I understand the session starts at 10:30 in the morning. It is best for you not to arrive too early, so I would suggest you floo here at ten and then floo to the Ministry atrium with the guards."

Harry nodded and Silverstaff provided the contract hire form, which he quickly signed. With the business completed, they thanked him again and floo'd back to school. The entire errand had taken less than a half hour and Harry was able to grab his broom and go find Ron. He spent several hours enjoying the afternoon and working some of the rust out of his flying, which was good since the Gryffindor Quidditch team would be convening for their first practice later the following week. When he returned to the apartment, Hermione was buried in several tomes and gave him a quick peck before shooing him to the shower while she continued her research.

The following morning they attended their Charms class during the first session of the morning and then headed back to the apartment, where Harry changed from his school robes to his house robes and prepared to head for his first Wizengamot session. Hermione pulled him close and they kissed for a minute before she pulled back and looked at him.

"Alright love, we both need to get going. I'll have notes and assignments for you when you return. Now don't be nervous! You are the Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. I know you will be brilliant."

Harry grinned and squeezed her once more as he headed for the headmaster's office. This time when he arrived, Dumbledore was in the office.

"Ah, good morning Harry. Or I should say Lord Potter since we are on our way to the Wizengamot. I was just going to leave in a few minutes. I assume there will be Aurors arriving to accompany you soon?"

"Actually sir, I declined the Aurors. I didn't want any apparent conflicts of interest today since I hope to pursue clearing Sirius' name with the DMLE. Instead I have hired goblin guards. I will be stopping at Gringotts first to meet with my escorts."

"Oh my. Well, you will certainly be protected. It's been some time since I've seen goblin guards at the Ministry. This will definitely cause a stir, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised about the prodigious Lord Potter anymore. Well, I'll let you be on your way. I'll see you at the Wizengamot chambers."

Harry nodded and went to the floo. As soon as he arrived, he saw Silverstaff was waiting with the guards. The guards were each dressed in shiny scale armor and appeared even more impassive than the usual goblins Harry had worked with. The largest of the three had a massive bastard sword strapped to his back, while the other two wielded large and nasty looking halberds. Harry greeted them and then they headed back to the floo. Two guards went through first, followed by Harry and then the third guard. When they arrived in the atrium, the three guards surrounded Harry and began marching him through the crowds that parted to make way for the entourage. The usual din of noise in the busy arrival hall was suddenly hushed as everyone turned to look at the three goblins guarding the young Lord Potter, who strode quickly, chin up and robes swirling. Harry lightly rubbed his signet just enough to let a bit of the house magic encompass him. He didn't pay attention to those he passed, but he was noticed by all. A few observers from the old purebloods were also arriving and wore conflicting emotions when confronted with the young lord passing by. They had expected a fumbling child, learning the ways of his station. Here was a young man who commanded the space.

Harry and his guard reached the security station near the lifts and the guard was momentarily taken aback as he stared at the three goblins. Eventually he collected himself and asked Harry to present his wand. Once the wand was registered and Harry stated his business at the Ministry, he proceeded on to the lifts. The two forward goblins quickly commandeered a recently vacated lift and Harry and the rear guard stepped on after them. Others were waiting for lifts, but held back to wait for the next one to arrive. A minute later, the lift reached the lower level with the Wizengamot chambers and Harry strode forth to the end of the long hall. Just as he was about to reach the chambers, he spied a familiar face. Lucius Malfoy was talking in quiet tones with a man about his age wearing finely crafted robes adorned in gold. They each turned their gaze on Harry and Lucius grinned maliciously as he assessed Harry.

"Ah, yes, the young _Lord_ Potter. Come to play with his title. I'm afraid though that you won't find the Wizengamot session very amusing. It's really a place where the adults come to conduct the business needed to keep our society running."

The guards bristled and moved their weapons forward as they faced Lord Malfoy, but Harry exercised his occlumency and forced himself to remain controlled.

"Yes Lord Malfoy, I am quite aware what the business is of the Wizengamot. While I am sure I might not find it entertaining, I do hope it will be enlightening. And, I am well aware of the type of business you specialize in conducting. Now, if you will please excuse me, I wish to speak to my allies before we convene."

Lucius seemed a bit stunned at Harry's control, but quickly asserted his own again as he watched Harry brush by. Allies? That was intriguing. Perhaps this day would yield information for the Dark Lord.

Harry entered the large bowl shaped chambers that had housed the Wizengamot for close to six hundred years. Seats were arrayed in tiers around the walls. In the center across from the entrance was the large seat for the Chief Warlock. Arrayed on the same central row, sweeping out from the Chief Warlock's seat, were an arrangement of elaborately carved chairs. Each was fashioned differently and each featured the crest of Ancient and Noble Houses. Harry quickly found the seat with the Potter crest. It was six to right of the Chief Warlock and appeared to be carved out of warm cherry. Looking further around the room, he spotted a small grouping of chairs, low and to one side, with signs for the Daily Prophet, the Quibbler and several other publications. Several chairs were already occupied. Apparently the press arrived early to watch the social interactions prior to the opening of the session. Then he spotted the first of his allies and stepped toward Augusta Longbottom.

"Good morning Matron Longbottom, I hope you are well today."

"I am indeed Lord Potter. And might I say you look quite distinguished this morning. I see you wisely came prepared for possible trouble."

"Yes. I felt that in light of my request and the potential conflict of interest with the DMLE that I should not utilize Aurors, even on a volunteer basis. I think Madam Bones will have a fine enough line to walk with the alliance and my business here today."

"Did I hear my name? Good morning Lord Potter, Matron Longbottom."

Harry turned and smiled at Amelia Bones. She had a spark in her eye and he got the distinct impression that she was looking forward to what was scheduled to occur during this session.

"Good morning Madam Bones. I had hoped to speak briefly before we begin. You know the business that I will be petitioning for today. This is a case where our alliance could cause you a potential conflict. I trust your fairness and ask only that you seek justice. I would never wish for our alliance to sway you from that cause."

"Thank you Lord Potter. That is always my intention anyway. Sometimes justice is elusive, but we must always strive. Ah, here comes Arthur. I must say it is amazing to see him in chambers. I don't think I've seen him since that grand debate four years ago. I know he detests the conflict and petty rivalries that too often come to play."

Arthur Weasley joined the small conference, glancing briefly at the three goblins who widened their circle just enough around Harry and his allies. He really did look uncomfortable as he tugged at his collar and kept looking around the room.

"Good morning Mr. Weasley. Thank you for coming, I know this isn't your usual preference."

"Of course Har..Lord Potter. I may not sit an Ancient or Noble seat, but I hope I can still provide some support. Are we all prepared for the alliances to be a matter of public record?"

"I don't think that can be avoided Arthur. This is just a first small step in the alliance, but a critical one. What happens here may very well allow another ally to come out of hiding. Ah, but it looks like Albus just arrived and we have only a few minutes. Perhaps we should take our seats."

Harry nodded at Augusta and the others before turning and making his way to the Potter seat. As he took his place, he felt a surge of energy in his house signet, leaving it pleasantly warm. It seemed the house magic was pleased with to have one of the blood return to the chambers. As Harry settled, two of the goblin guards stood on either side of him, while the third went to stand guard at the door. As some of the last stragglers entered, they startled at the sight of the guard, but then hurried on by. When the clock reached the appointed half hour, a ringing issued forth and Chief Warlock Dumbledore stood. Taking his wand, he inscribed briefly around the room to bind the room in magic before addressing the chambers.

"Good morning to you all and welcome to the initial fall session of the Wizengamot for the year nineteen hundred and ninety five. You have all been presented with an agenda for the proceedings. After our long break, there is much to attend to, so let's begin."

Harry checked his agenda and saw that there was quite a bit of boring business that came before him. First was a request from the Department for International Magical Cooperation for a budget increase to allow the hiring of two additional translators. Following that was the introduction of a small, but interesting law that was to standardize the alcohol and magic content of any drink branding itself as firewhisky and ban any alcohol not meeting the standard. Apparently a recent surge in poor quality import firewhisky had sent several individuals to St. Mungo's for minor poisoning issues due to the poor manufacture of knock off alcohol. Harry knew he should have researched some of this before he came, but made an on the spot decision to vote for the law. If the cheap alcohol was making people sick, then he figured it should be banned. While he hadn't studied the specifics around the day's agenda, he had read a bit on the Wizengamot structure itself and now observed carefully how business was being conducted. First, for the budget increase, the entire chambers had voted on the measure, including those in the upper tiers like Arthur who held seats, but not titles. When it came to voting for the law, only those who held titled seats were allowed to vote. It definitely showed the hierarchy of the assembly.

Harry spent the next two hours trying to stay awake as a number of small governing details were argued and fretted over. It was second only to one of Professor Binns' classes in boredom. Finally, his turn came around on the agenda as he mentally shook himself and refocused when the Chief Warlock mentioned his name.

"Next on the agenda is a motion presented by Lord Potter. First, it is the distinct pleasure of this body to see the seat of House Potter filled once again and we welcome Lord Harry James Potter. Now, the motion he presents has been made a matter of record, but we will now allow Lord Potter the chance to state his motion."

Taking a quick breath, Harry ran a quick occlumency exercise to calm himself as he stood and looked around the chambers.

"Good afternoon everyone. I motion and petition this esteemed body today to right an injustice in regards to the heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. Sirius Orion Black was falsely imprisoned for a crime he did not commit nearly fourteen years ago. He was sent to Azkaban without a formal trial due to the laws of wartime and an apparent preponderance of evidence. During events of the last two years, I have personally been made aware of his innocence and the circumstances that allowed this travesty of justice to occur. I now wish to offer forth my testimony under veritaserum to lay forth the facts and will also submit memory evidence if required. I hereby petition this under the ancient house laws whereby the rightful lord or heir of any house may have their case singularly petitioned by the rightful lord or heir of another house without secondary measure from any other house or representative."

Harry paused and turned to look at Dumbledore, sitting in the Chief Warlock's seat. As he was about to speak, another voice interrupted from farther down the row.

"I object! This is a waste of our time. Sirius Black is a criminal who does not deserve our consideration."

Dumbledore turned from Harry to address the speaker, an older wizard who also sat on the row of Lords.

"Lord Yaxley, while I understand your desire to shorten our workload here today, you do not hold any grounds for objection. Lord Potter is quite correct in his petitioning under the old laws. Now, under those laws, we are bound to accept his motion and take his testimony. Decision upon that testimony can be discussed once it is gathered. Undersecretary, please hand me the serum. Lord Potter, please step down to the chamber floor for the administering and to give testimony."

Harry made his way down to floor and a clerk stepped forward to hand Harry the serum. Once he drank it, the clerk cast a spell that caused Harry's head to glow for a moment, indicating that the serum had taken effect. The Chief Warlock then asked Harry to proceed with any testimony he had in regards to Sirius Orion Black. Harry proceeded to give the details from the end of his third year, about seeing Pettigrew forced out of rat form and his admission to his former friends of the betrayal he had engineered. Then he told of how Severus Snape had interfered and ultimately caused Pettigrew to escape. Next he told of what happened at the end of the Tri-Wizard tournament, about seeing Pettigrew and his role in returning the Dark Lord to physical form. As he spoke of these events, a chorus of objections were shouted around the hall. Dumbledore finally had to stand and cast a silencing compulsion around the chambers.

"SILENCE! There will be time for discussion after. Lord Potter is under veritaserum and will continue his testimony unimpeded. Everyone here should be aware of the laws of testimony. I warn you that, as Chief Warlock, I can find any or all of you in contempt and fine you accordingly."

With the chambers forced into silence, Harry continued his testimony, detailing the final events that allowed him to escape and how Barty Crouch Jr. was uncovered. Once he finished, he grew quiet and looked to the Chief Warlock.

"Thank you Lord Potter for your testimony. Now, in accordance with the laws of this body, individuals may raise their wands if they wish to question Lord Potter about any pertinent details. I warn you though that I do not want our time wasted with spurious questioning and I will not allow harassment in these chambers. I can still issue contempt charges."

As Dumbledore spoke the last, he looked at Yaxley, Malfoy and several others. Malfoy looked incensed and raised his wand. Dumbledore nodded to allow him to question Harry.

"Lord Potter, regarding all these supposed events that happened at the end of the tournament, weren't you injured at the time? And how well could you actually see since it was well past nightfall?"

Harry was glad for the tempering influence of the serum that still coursed through him as he turned to respond.

"Lord Malfoy, the only injury I initially suffered was a sprained ankle. The night was also one day past the full moon and there were no clouds. So my mind was quite clear and I was able to see fine. My ears also were in good working order and I heard every voice that issued from behind the Death Eater masks. In fact I've heard some of those same voices in this chamber."

That remark brought another round of protests as Malfoy's lips became pinched even further. The goblins at Harry's sides moved in closer and brandished their weapons in warning. Dumbledore called the room to order and asked if anyone had any other questions about the events. The next wand to raise was from Lord McNair.

"Lord Potter, you've told us plenty about the events surrounding Black's innocence, but what about his escape? What was your role? Where is Black now?"

Harry felt a sinking feeling. This was something he had feared and the potion now compelled him to answer, but before he could, another voice spoke up. It was Amelia Bones.

"Lord McNair, as head of the DMLE, and as head of the Ancient House of Bones I object. The questions you raise are not in regards to the events in question. Need I remind you that we are not currently convened for a trial? Also, as the head of my house, I wish to now declare that House Bones is allied with House Potter and I personally lend my support to his testimony. I will also have it made known that upon taking the alliance vow, it was with the understanding that my first allegiance is to the office I hold and Lord Potter has agreed to that."

A number of exclamations were made around the chambers as the news of a new house alliance was made. Then Augusta Longbottom stood to speak as well.

"I also wish to announce that House Longbottom is allied with House Potter and I am in full support of Lord Potter's testimony."

The volume in the chambers rose again so that, when Arthur stood, he had to cast a sonorous charm to be heard.

"I also wish to announce the alliance of the Lesser House of Weasley with House Potter and lend Lord Potter my full support as well."

As Arthur sat, Dumbledore had to cast a couple canon blast spells to regain order so that he could speak.

"Madam Bones is correct in her statement. Lord McNair, your questions are spurious. Lord Potter, you are not compelled to answer by the rules of these chambers. Also, I officially acknowledge the alliances that have been spoken of here today. Are there any others who wish to announce an alliance before we proceed? Lord Potter?"

"Chief Warlock, House Potter is also allied with House Black. For obvious reasons the present Lord Apparent cannot be here today."

"What? Sirius can't rule his house. He's a fugitive!"

"Lord Yaxley! I have already warned you once."

Harry turned to the objecting Death Eater.

"Lord Yaxley, since Sirius was never given a trial, the goblins do not recognize his guilt and he is indeed Lord Apparent. With no other heirs available, he is quite capable of forming alliances."

Harry glared at Yaxley and then and Malfoy as Dumbledore tried to take control again.

"Alright, thank you Lord Potter. The alliance with House Black is also duly noted. Please take the antidote that the clerk is giving you. We will now discuss the actions to be taken regarding the testimony you presented."

Harry eagerly downed the antidote and returned to his seat. The chambers were buzzing as everyone discussed what they had heard. Once he reached his seat, Dumbledore called the chambers to attention.

"Now that Lord Potter's testimony has been submitted, it is the responsibility of this body to decide how to proceed. There are three courses of action. First, let the charges against Sirius Black stand and maintain his fugitive status. Second, clear him of all charges immediately. Third, remand the decision of further action to the DMLE pending further investigation. I believe we've heard enough to proceed with a vote immediately. If you believe otherwise, you may raise the objection."

When no one objected to an immediate vote, the Chief Warlock nodded and continued.

"Alright, all those in favor of letting the charges against Sirius Black stand as they are, please raise your wands."

Harry held his breath as a smattering of wands were raised throughout the chamber. When the tally was taken, it was well below the number needed to let the charges remain and Harry had to withhold a cheer. There were still two more votes to be taken and the Chief Warlock next took the vote to clear all charges. Again, a smattering of wands came up, but again the numbers were too few. Once the third vote was taken to remand the decision to the DMLE for investigation, it was obvious what the majority vote was. The Chief Warlock noted the number and whispered to the clerk before making the tally official.

"Thank you everyone. It is the decision of this body to remand the investigation into the charges against Sirius Orion Black to the DMLE. In conjunction with this vote, the body will accept the decision of that investigation."

As Dumbledore was concluding, a wand went up across the room, but also in the Lords' row.

"Yes Lord Nott, do you have a question in regards to the vote?"

"No Chief Warlock, I saw that the vote was fairly obvious. My concern is with the alliances of House Potter. Since both Houses Bones and Black are allies now through House Potter, I do not feel that Madam Bones can fairly investigate the charges."

Before Dumbledore could respond, Amelia spoke up.

"Lord Nott, I understand the reason for your doubt. While I assure you I can remain impartial, I do not want any hint of a conflict of interest. Therefore, I will personally be stepping aside and assigning oversight of the investigation to my deputy, Lord Kingsley Shacklebolt, who also sits here in these chambers."

Kingsley nodded to Amelia and then turned to stare at Lord Nott. The Lord nodded and waved his hand in acquiescence. Dumbledore looked at each party and then took back control.

"My thanks to Madam Bones for her integrity. I am personally well assured of the fairness of an investigation led by Lord Shacklebolt. Now, this was the last item on the agenda for today. Our next meeting will be two weeks from today. Does anyone have anything else to add?"

No one replied to the last question, so Dumbledore took his wand and released the spell he had started several hours earlier, closing out the session of the Wizengamot. Harry felt relief that it was over, but also knew that all eyes were on him so that he had to maintain his composure. He stepped out of his seat, flanked by his two guards as the third guard stepped forward from the door and the three surrounded him. Several people came up to greet Harry, mostly curious and generally just wanting to make introductions. The goblins watched each warily, but the Death Eaters he was most concerned with left quickly. Harry was doing his best to remember names, but knew that some occlumency meditation would be needed later to help with that. His allies also stopped briefly to say goodbye and Harry thanked them each. Eventually the social niceties were complete and Harry and his guard was able to exit. They made their way back to the atrium floo and arrived back at the bank four and a half hours after leaving. Harry thanked his guards and left compliments to Silverstaff before then floo'ing back to Hogwarts. He wasn't surprised that Dumbledore still wasn't back. The session had taken longer than planned and his last class was already halfway through. He had also missed lunch and was feeling drained from lack of sustenance and the emotional toll of the day. Calling Dobby, he had the elf pop him back to his apartment and then had Dobby bring him a late lunch. After he ate, he settled back on the sofa to work on his Runes reading.

About a half hour into his reading, Harry felt Hermione approaching and then she entered the apartment. Setting the book aside, he stood and took her in his arms. Holding her, he felt the tension in his body lessen as he clung to her. Sensing his need for her, she let him hold on quietly for several long minutes before he stood back and led her to the sofa, where he filled her in on all that had happened. As he detailed everything, she was able to feel each emotion through their bond and understand why he looked so exhausted.

"So, that's about all for me love. I have to say that I won't be running to attend every single Wizengamot session. I understand why Arthur hasn't attended in years. Of course, since he isn't titled, there is less for him to vote on."

"Which is completely unfair, but we have bigger issues right now. I suppose since the press was there, you'll probably be on the front page again?"

Harry groaned and nodded.

"Well, we need to study and you should probably let your allies here at school know what happened. We can find them, give them the news and then study after."

"Sounds good love, but can we have them come here to study? I'd prefer the privacy."

"Of course. You stay here, I'll go find everyone."

A few minutes later Hermione reappeared with the Weasleys, Neville and Susan. Harry once again gave the details from the Wizengamot session and how each of their families had risen to support him. Susan was incensed that her aunt's integrity had been questioned, but Harry assured her that Amelia had not been surprised and was ready with a solution. After they talked, the group was settling down to study, but Ron seemed antsy and kept looking off in the distance. Ginny was sitting directly across from him and finally had enough.

"Ron, really? You need to talk to the girl. Harry, Hermione, do you mind if Ron fetches Luna to study with us now that house business is done? She was with us when Hermione called us away."

Harry smirked and was about to tease his friend when he saw the pained expression Ron wore. Grabbing his friend by the arm, he dragged Ron to the bedroom to talk.

"Alright Ron, so what is going on with you and Luna?"

"Nothing! Well, I mean, we've been studying together and well we went for a walk around the lake, but well, I don't know."

"So do you fancy her?"

"Um, well, yeah, I think so. Bloody hell Harry, this is hard. Sometimes she leaves me baffled and other times she's positively brilliant. I mean she is Ravenclaw. But even when I can't understand her, she smiles and it doesn't seem to matter. What the hell? You had it so easy Harry, you just bonded and it was done and now you can read each other's thoughts."

"Wow mate, you've got it bad. As for me, I did have to summon the courage to tell Hermione how I felt and then kiss her before the bond happened. Summon some Gryffindor courage already. We've got a lot bigger problems right now. This is Luna, she may say she just wants you as a friend, but she isn't going to leave completely."

Ron was fidgeting so much it was making Harry nervous.

"Yeah, alright, maybe I should just tell her what I feel. Or as best I can figure out what I feel."

"You go and talk to her. When you're done, bring her back here and we'll study."

Ron nodded and they left the bedroom. Ron exited the apartment and Harry went back to study.

 _Everything alright love?_

 _Yes. Ron fancies Luna._ _Not a big surprise. Just gave him a pep talk._

Ron was gone for close to a half hour, but when he returned, he was holding Luna's hand and grinning. Ginny looked up and smiled at her friend.

"Finally! So my brother decided to stop swallowing his tongue and ask you?"

"Yes Ginny. He was awkward and sweet, but I've agreed to be Ronald's girlfriend."

"Brilliant mate. Welcome Luna. Come, we've all got an insane amount of homework."

The rest of the evening passed quietly. The group of friends retreated to the Great Hall for dinner and then took a break after to play some games. It was all a bit surreal to Harry. Half his day had been spent in the Wizengamot chambers, petitioning for justice for his godfather, and the other half of his day was spent at school studying with friends and convincing his best mate to get a girlfriend. Only Lord Harry James Potter could manage a day like that.


	15. Trainings

Chapter 15 – Trainings

The next couple weeks were busy for the Potters between their regular studies and also researching a solution to the horcrux problem. The only thing unusual was when, a week after the Wizengamot meeting, Harry was summoned to the Ministry to submit his memories for a pensieve review at the DMLE as part of their ongoing investigation into Sirius' alleged crimes. Harry hadn't talked to Sirius directly since the meeting at the Burrow, but his godfather had sent a letter thanking him after the Prophet prominently featured Harry's petition and veritaserum review on the front page the following day. Other than being called back to the DMLE, so far the only result of Harry's testimony had been increased surliness among several of the Slytherins, led by Malfoy. While Draco spouted off small insults, he was actually more reserved than in the past, so it was easy to ignore him. Harry thought that may be an additional benefit to his successful duel and banishment of Umbitch.

A week after his Wizengamot testimony, the three new professors started their positions. Professor Lupin returned to teach DADA, to the delight of most of the students. Meanwhile in the dungeons, Professor Tonks started her position teaching 1st through 5th year Potions and everyone found the subject infinitely easier and less stressful. She was strict and firm, but she actually explained the reasoning behind many of the seemingly obscure rules in potion making and she was not shy to acknowledge good work. Finally, a couple days after the other professors, the new History of Magic teacher began. Professor O'Brien was in her mid-twenties and absolutely gorgeous, with a pale complexion and raven hair. She was also stunningly brilliant and seemed to have a wealth of small bits of trivia that she included in her lessons. For the first time in his over four years at Hogwarts, Harry found himself able to stay awake in class. Looking around, he noticed that all of the class was actually awake. Of course, a couple of his classmates didn't seem to be listening at all as they drooled and watched the new professor. As for Professor Binns, Dumbledore told them that he had talked with the old History professor, but Binns was not yet ready to move on. Until Binns decided to go, the old History classroom was closed off and an unused classroom was remodeled into the History classroom. Binns seemed to not care, still showing up at the same times and lecturing to his now empty room.

Besides classes and research, Harry and Hermione still kept up with their meditation and occlumency exercises. Combined with their bond, it made their other studies quite a bit easier. Harry wished he had learned the advantages of a well-ordered and calmed mind years before. He also decided that the exercises would be good for his allies, who were often found studying in the Potter apartment anyway. Included with the group was Luna, who while not an ally, was a true and loyal friend. She and Ron also happened to be near inseparable and the changes she was slowly making in the youngest of the Weasley boys were most welcome.

Along with mind training, Harry and Hermione wanted to continue the training they had started at Grimmauld over the summer. Again, their allies were eager to join them and the group found an empty classroom a couple nights a week to practice physical training with dodging and maneuvers, as well as a variety of shield and other defensive spells. Training offensively was a bit more difficult, since their only targets were each other, which limited the severity of the spells they could use. Harry wished they had some practice dummies like Grimmauld had, but had yet to see any at the school. He also thought that it would be good to have some gym equipment to continue his strength and endurance training. One morning after several rounds of loving, he had called on Dobby to bring them breakfast in bed and then started to discuss the issue with Hermione.

"Hermione love, I've been thinking about our training with the allies. We keep hitting a bit of a dead end. We really need some of the equipment like Sirius has at Grimmauld. The school has some unused classrooms. Maybe we can convert one to a training room. We'd need to decide exactly how much equipment we need."

Before Hermione could respond, the elf that was pouring tea suddenly set the kettle down and started to bounce on his toes.

"Mister Lord Harry Potter sir! Dobby knows wheres you can go! You needs the come and go room. It will give you all you needs."

"What? The Come and Go Room? Why is it called that? Where is it?"

"It is a most specials room on the 7th floor. Sometimes it is there, sometimes not. It comes and goes. It is called also the Room of Requirement."

"Hmm, interesting. So, I can ask it for whatever we need?"

Dobby nodded his head furiously, bouncing his whole body.

"Comes sir, Dobby will show you!"

"Alright Dobby thanks, but how about you show me in an hour or so? I'd like to eat breakfast and shower first."

The excited elf managed to control himself enough to finish serving breakfast and then popped out, leaving Harry and Hermione to spend time lazily eating. The room was quiet as they were both lost in thought, until their thoughts converged.

 _This seems positively indulgent, laying around on a Saturday morning. I know I have a world of problems and more homework than I could imagine, but right now I just don't care._

 _I agree my love, but I think this time is important. We will run ourselves down if we don't take some time to relax._

 _Hmm yes, well how about we relax together under some warm water?_

Harry swallowed the last of his tea and turned to leer at his wife. Hopping out of bed, he ran around to her side and scooped her up as she laughed at him. Carrying her to the bathroom, he set her down as he turned on the water and pulled her into the shower. They initially made some pretense of starting to wash each other, but then gave that up as soap was discarded and they began exploring each other. They snogged for many long minutes, as Harry fingered his wife until she was trembling and no longer able to keep up her rhythm on the hand job she was delivering. Then, before he would let her peak, he pulled his fingers out of her as he pushed her against a wall and thrust himself completely into her as she jumped and wrapped her legs around his waist, driving him in deeper as she came with howl that echoed off the tiles. Harry held her delightful bum as he adjusted his stance and began a steady and insistent rhythm that brought his own climax within just minutes, as she continued to whimper and moan in continued ecstasy. When she finally didn't think she could take anymore, he left her and lowered her to the floor, supporting her from behind while her legs regained feeling. Finally sated, they managed to resume their washing and finish showering.

Once they were dressed, Harry called for Dobby and asked the elf to show them to the Room of Requirement. Harry thought that name offered a better explanation than the Come and Go room. When they reached the seventh floor, Hermione followed the elf's instructions, thinking carefully about what they needed as she paced back and forth three times. As she finished her third pass, an elaborate door appeared in the wall. When they stepped through it, Harry gave a small shout of triumph. The room looked exactly like the gym and training areas in the basement of Grimmauld. As he was looking around, he got a weird sensation as the room seemed to expand a bit and several more dummies appeared. Hermione answered his surprise.

 _Sorry love, I hadn't realized how responsive the room would be. I was just thinking that we would need a bit more space with the number of people we want to bring here. This room is amazing. The amount of combined magics, transfiguration and charms this must take. I would love to study it someday._

 _I agree it's amazing dear, but right now I've got enough to study. Looks like we have our practice space._

They tried changing a couple more things in the room, and it reacted the same way each time. Harry lavished praise on Dobby before they left the room to revert back. Harry then went on to Quidditch practice, while Hermione headed for the library.

The next day all of the allies as well as Luna met in their usual empty classroom for their special defense training. In attendance for the first time was Professor Lupin, who had heard about the extra study group and came to observe. As soon as everyone was gathered, Harry explained the predicament he had been worrying about and the amazing room that Dobby had introduced him to. The entire group excitedly followed Harry up to the seventh floor. Hermione went ahead and paced with the specifics of what they needed in mind and then the group entered. Everyone was amazed when they entered, but none more so that Professor Lupin, who looked around after the door closed.

"Incredible. I thought the Marauders knew just about everything having to do with the castle. How in the hell did we miss this?"

"Did you ever try chatting up the house elves?"

The professor just shook his head and Harry chuckled. With the room in place, he then lined everyone up and they started with their physical warm up exercises before dividing up into pairs and working on some offensive spells now that they had dummies. Harry would start the group with a basic spell and then tried to explain how to use the mind exercises to channel the focus of the spell. When he went to demonstrate and launched a powerful cutting curse at a dummy, it nearly vaporized. Ten seconds later, the room replaced the dummy and everyone else tried to duplicate Harry's effort. In most cases they were trying to force the spell to make it stronger, rather than focusing, which was making most of them unsuccessful. All except Luna, who kept her usual dreamy half gone stare and then blasted a dummy halfway across the room with little apparent effort. Harry gave everyone a couple minutes and then called a halt.

"Alright everyone, you've all had a chance to try it a couple times, but success has been sporadic. From what I've seen, you are trying to force the spell and magic doesn't work that way. This is not like being constipated and trying to force a turd out. You need to breathe and focus. Find your inner core and let the magic flow. When you try to force it, you only put a dam on your magic. Like turning a river into a creek. We've all been practicing with the mind exercises, let's do a bit of that and then try again."

The entire room quieted as everyone worked on their mind exercises. Once Harry thought they were focused, he had everyone line up and try again. This time the results were much better, as dummies started to be thrown and sliced apart all around the room. After twenty more minutes with offensive practice, Harry called the group back to the middle of the room and then divided up new pairs and set everyone to practice shielding against stunners. As he watched, Professor Lupin came to his side. He had been quiet since entering the room, but now leaned over to whisper to Harry.

"Well Harry, I have to say that this is impressive. If you hadn't specifically asked for me to be hired, I'd be scared for my job."

Harry turned and looked at the smirking professor.

"Thanks sir, but this group includes the most talented in the school and they're all aware of why we need to train so hard. Any other group of students wouldn't do this well."

"No Harry. Don't sell yourself short. I think you have definitely found your area of expertise. For your mother it was Charms, but Defense is definitely yours."

"What about my dad? What was his specialty?"

Professor Lupin let out a short, barking laugh.

"James' specialty was doing as little as possible for the greatest gain. Oh, he was extraordinarily talented, as was Sirius, but they were fonder of extracurricular pursuits. Although, once he started dating Lily, she pushed him to achieve more. The last half of his sixth year and then his seventh year I would have to say that he did quite well in both Defense and Charms. The latter was definitely due to Lily's influence."

Harry looked at the professor and contemplated the insight into his father. His emotions wavered enough that Hermione came to his side.

 _Love? Oh, I see. Discussing your parents. Remember, they were not always your parents. They were children and then teenagers once themselves._

 _I suppose you're right. I guess I never thought of my father as being a lazy prankster. Although I should have figured it with what I know of the Marauders._

Professor Lupin looked at the young couple and guessed by the silence that there was some mental dialogue happening.

"Am I correct to guess Harry that your brilliant wife was just comforting you with some mental advice?"

"Yes sir. Sorry about that, we try not to do it around others too much, but when I get emotional it just happens naturally."

"No worries. It's quite fascinating. I wonder, since your minds can link for speech, can you link your magics? If you could channel them together that would be quite interesting."

"Yes, we can and we have on a couple occasions. Usually I take the focus. I don't think we've tried with Hermione as the focus. It takes a good bit of control to not accidentally drain one or the both of us."

"Really? I would love to see that sometime."

 _What do you think dear? We haven't done it much. This is about as controlled of an environment as we can get._

 _We can try. Everyone here is allies. Well except Luna, but I trust her. Which is maybe something else we need to discuss later._

Harry gave a brief nod and called everyone's practicing to a halt.

"Alright everyone, you're looking good. The focus was much better for the second half of the exercises. We're almost out of time, but before we go, Hermione and I thought we would share something with you. We were just talking to Professor Lupin about the unique aspects of our bond. One of those is something we have only explored on a limited basis, but we thought we would show you a bit. We have the ability to channel our magic together to increase our power. Usually I'm the focus and I think we'll start with me, but I'd like to then try letting Hermione be the focus. What do you say my love?"

"Sure Harry. How do we want to do this, cutting curse or something else?"

"Maybe something a bit more. How about a reducto? With the increased power, we will need to hit something hard."

As Harry spoke, a six foot high stone wall appeared at one end of the room.

"Well, I guess that will do. Ready Mione my love?"

Hermione nodded and she and Harry stepped forward so that they were about ten meters from the wall and an arm length's apart from each other. Harry began by drawing up his focus and then feeling Hermione's touch after she had done the same. Taking hold of her mental touch, he felt her magic as it sought out his and wove into him. Once their magics were at a peak, Harry cast a full power reducto at the wall. The result was beyond stunning. The wall erupted with a deafening roar, launching pebbles in every direction. Hermione took a bit of the focus and quickly erected a shield, dividing the room in half. Even with the power Harry had used, the power she poured into the shield was awesome as a visible golden wall was suddenly in place as it was bombarded by thousands of rocky missiles. The entire exercise had only taken about twenty seconds. The disintegration of the stone wall had caused a large cloud of dust that took another minute to dissipate. Once it had, Hermione dropped the shield. She was feeling the strain, and could feel it in Harry as well, but they were nowhere close to exhausted. Smiling, she took his hand and turned back to the group.

"Well, it looks like we just did something new and each managed to take a piece of the focus, with one of us on offense and the other on defense. We're continually learning how our bond works, but you can see how the bonding of our cores increases the power."

All of their friends just stood, shaking their heads. They were looking too awe-struck for Harry's liking and he immediately tried to diffuse the situation.

"Alright, well this show is over. I know it looked impressive, but it isn't easy to hold and has the potential to drain both of us quickly. Which means in a fast paced battle it won't be the most helpful. That's where our continued practices come in. We just thought you'd be interested to see. Now, we have a quarter until curfew, so we should probably head out."

Everyone said goodbye and left the room. When Hermione and Harry reached their apartment, they studied for a while but then fell into bed, more tired than they had realized.

The day after their first exercises in the Room of Requirement, the Potters finally got a chance to pursue another area of study that they had been too busy to consider for a couple weeks. They had been meaning to talk to Professor Tonks about apparition training, but always had to hurry off to Charms after her class and then found themselves tied down elsewhere after. Finally, on a Friday afternoon, they took some free time and made their way to her office during her open office hours. She was alone, grading some papers when they arrived and she welcomed them in warmly.

"Good afternoon Lord and Lady Potter. Can I help you with something?"

"Hello professor. How are your classes going? Our fifth year group seems to be doing well."

"Oh yes, as are the others. I must thank you both for this opportunity. Is there an issue that you need to speak to me about as Founders?"

"Oh no, we are leaving the general administration to the headmaster. We really have enough to do with our studies without worrying about school governance unless we feel something is terribly out of balance. Actually, we are here about something entirely different. I realized a few weeks ago that since Harry and I are now emancipated, we should be able to start apparition training. We questioned the headmaster and he advised that you used to teach the subject for the Ministry. We were wondering if you would consider training us in apparition? We would pay the usual fees that the Ministry would charge."

"Apparition training, hmmm. Well, it's been a few years but it's not something one really forgets. From what I've seen and heard, I suspect it won't take the two of you long to learn it. Let's see, I have a free period at three on Tuesdays and then the one I have now on Fridays. I think I can work it into my schedule. I will need to talk to Albus about removing the anti-apparition wards on my classroom for that time. Usually when the Ministry instruction is done, it takes place in the Great Hall and the wards are taken down locally for a brief time. If that can be arranged, then I'd be happy to start training you next Tuesday. And don't worry about fees. This is the least I can do. Especially since you have done so much to help my cousin. Now, I've almost finished these papers. Once I do, why don't we see if Albus is available?"

They both thanked her and then sat down to wait a few minutes while she finished her grading. Once she was done, the three of them made their way quickly to the gargoyle guarding the headmaster's office. Upon seeing the Potters, the gargoyle tilted his head and allowed them to pass. The professor turned and quirked and eyebrow at Harry, but he just nodded and gestured for her to go first. As they reached the door to Dumbledore's office, he called for them to come in.

"Ah, good afternoon Professor Tonks, Lord and Lady Potter. Do we have an issue with Potions?"

Harry stepped forward before the professor could speak.

"Not at all sir. Potions class has been going well. Infinitely better than my first four years. Professor Tonks has also agreed to train us on apparition."

Harry stepped back and let the professor talk.

"Yes Albus, we would like to do two training sessions a week during my Tuesday and Friday free periods, starting next week. We will need the anti-apparition wards lifted on my classroom for those times."

"Of course. Simple enough. Same as we do when the Ministry instructors give their course. Actually, Lord and Lady Potter, you can do this yourself once you know how. The Founders' rights give you control over the school's magic and wards. It just takes a bit of practice. I have a ward stone here in my desk that allows me to tap into the magic, but your rings should do the same. If you will call forth the power within the Founders' signets first, then I will guide you."

Harry and Hermione did as instructed, calming themselves and then using the signets to ignite the magic of the school. As an awareness of the castle enveloped them, Dumbledore continued with his instructions.

"Alright, now gradually extend your awareness. Start from where we are in this tower and then go down from there. Search for the Potions classroom."

Harry and Hermione did as instructed. The magic was so ancient it felt a bit foreign and caused a moment of confusion in their focus. Gradually, they each understood what they were seeing and located the dungeon Potions classroom. They each nodded to Dumbledore to let him know they were there.

"Very good. Now you just need to recognize the magic that is the anti-apparition ward. I am going to use the stone here in my desk now and take the ward down for a minute. You should notice the change. I will then bring it back up. Once you feel the changes, you should be able to recognize which ward you are looking for."

Harry and Hermione waited a moment and then they both sensed a piece of the magic in the room leaving. It was interesting to still feel most of the magic in place, but without that one piece. It was like removing an ingredient from a recipe and noticing how the flavor of a dish changed. After a minute, the piece returned and the room felt the same as it had previously.

"Alright, now that you know what to look for, go ahead and try it yourselves. One at a time so that you don't cancel out each other's efforts."

 _Go ahead my love, I'll watch you._

Hermione gave a brief mental nod and then reached to find the same piece of magic that she had felt leave before. Once found, she turned it and the magic left, leaving the room feeling like it had when the headmaster had done the same a minute before. Then Hermione turned it again and the magic in the room was once again whole. Harry then went next and did the same, marveling at how he could feel the different layers of magic around him. Once they both had turned the ward off and back on, they each pulled their focus back and disconnected themselves from the castle's awareness as they looked back to the headmaster.

"Very good you two! Handled quite deftly. You will now be able to practice as needed. Also, once you're certified, you will be able to apparate not just locally, but out of the castle if you need to. I would like to ask though that you not advertise that skill when you reach that point."

"Understood headmaster. Thank you. That was a most interesting lesson. So, Professor Tonks, Tuesday at three then?"

"Yes Lady Potter. I look forward to it."

The Potters followed Professor Tonks out of the tower, hands linked as they silently considered this latest lesson and their Founders' abilities. When they exited the tower, they bid farewell to the professor and then continued on back to the library for yet more studying.

The next day was a Saturday and was also the first Quidditch match of the new school year. The match paired Ravenclaw and Slytherin and promised to be a quite heated contest, as all matches against Slytherin were. Hermione and Harry joined the rest of the Gryffindors in cheering loudly for Ravenclaw. The match went close to two hours and featured a near record number of fouls as the Slytherins played exceptionally dirty, even for themselves. The Ravenclaws though were well disciplined and worked as a cohesive unit much better than their rivals, eventually taking the snitch and winning by 140 points. Harry quite enjoyed the game and paid especial attention to the Ravenclaws. They were in peak form and would definitely challenge Gryffindor when they played them in the spring.

The rest of the weekend passed all too quickly as October seemed to be sliding by them. Soon a new week dawned, the last of the month. On Tuesday they met with Professor Tonks for their first apparition lesson. As they had practiced before, they linked into the school's magic and took down the wards for the room they were in. Either one of them could have done it singly, but they opted to do it together for the practice. They then spent the next hour learning about destination, determination and deliberation as they each tried to move themselves from the back of the classroom to the front. The task was more difficult than it seemed and Harry was getting frustrated when he mentally reached out to Hermione. She linked with him and together they pushed their magics as they tried the exercise again. Harry felt a strange tingle, followed by a sinking feeling and suddenly he found his view had changed as he started to fall with Hermione on top of him. They lay sprawled on the floor together, taking a minute before they realized they had managed the feat. Professor Tonks remained stunned for a minute before she crossed the room to them.

"Alright, that was interesting. Only one other time have I seen a successful apparition during the first lesson. And you both did it simultaneously. Also, you seem to have changed positions. You should have reappeared three meters apart, the same as you were in your original position."

"Actually professor, I think I can explain. Both of us weren't getting anywhere and we were both frustrated so we agreed to link our magics. It something we've only done a couple times. Once we gathered our power and focus together, we then determined to move ourselves together. Obviously though we should have thought about positioning."

"Hmm, well that is definitely interesting. Another unique aspect to your soul bond. I would prefer though that you each learn the skill individually. We're out of time today, but this was excellent progress. I'll see you on Friday."

Hermione and Harry both thanked the professor and then left to go to their last class for the day. The following Friday neither of them made much progress, but on their second Tuesday Hermione managed to successfully apparate individually. The following Friday, Harry finally matched her. They spent two more weeks practicing, increasing the distances of their apparition. In late November, Professor Tonks pronounced their training complete and wrote them certificates to present to the Ministry when they were ready to test. After a bit of discussion, Harry and Hermione decided to wait until the Christmas holiday to submit themselves for testing. Hermione send Hedwig off with the request and she returned from the Ministry with an appointment confirmation for the afternoon of December 27th.

As December began, the Potters remained busy with an excess amount of schoolwork leading up to end of session exams. On the second Saturday of the month, Harry, Hermione and their friends were in their apartment studying when Dobby popped in unexpectedly to deliver a message from the headmaster, requesting they come to Dumbledore's office. Most of their homework was done, so everyone scattered while the Potters made their way to the office. When they entered, they were surprised to find Amelia waiting for them as well. She smiled and greeted them as they stepped into the office.

"Hello Lord and Lady Potter. How is school going?"

"Busy, but going well. And Amelia, please, Harry and Hermione. How are you doing?"

"I am also well. I come to deliver important news. Kingsley decided I should have the honor of informing you. The investigation into Sirius' alleged crimes is complete and he has been cleared of charges. A warrant has also been issued for the arrest of Peter Pettigrew."

Harry let out a large whoop as he and Hermione both went to hug Amelia.

"Also, Kingsley asked that I request that you inform Sirius since he's in hiding. I have the papers here for you to give him."

"Of course. We'll go right away."

"Very good, well I'll be leaving. On a personal note, I'd like to invite you to the Bones family traditional Christmas Eve brunch. I am sure you have plans for the holiday, but it would be great to see you over the break."

"Thank you Amelia. We'd be thrilled to attend."

Amelia nodded and then said her goodbyes as she stepped into the floo and headed back to the Ministry. After she left, Dumbledore looked at the Potters.

"Well, congratulations are in order. I'll let you head on. I expect you'll be gone for a while celebrating."

"Thank you headmaster. I'm sure Sirius will want to escape the house as soon as he hears."

Harry and Hermione then floo'd to Grimmauld Place. When they arrived in the living room, the floo chimes went off to announce their arrival. They only had to wait a minute before Sirius appeared. He was obviously in a morose mood, but brightened when he saw who was visiting.

"Harry! Hermione! It's great to see you. How's school?"

"School is fine. Insanely busy of course, but that's not why we're here. I have an early Christmas gift for you."

Harry handed over the papers from Amelia and gave Sirius a chance to read them. He knew his godfather would be elated, but Sirius' reaction stunned him. Upon reading the papers, he quickly sat on a nearby couch and doubled over, sobbing. Harry was in such shock that at first he didn't move. Then Hermione went and sat on Sirius' right side as she put a hand on his shoulder. Taking her lead, Harry went to his other side and did the same. They sat like that for many minutes before Sirius managed to collect himself.

"Wow. I'm sorry you two. I guess seeing it in writing makes it so much more real. You did it pup. I can't ever repay you. I can't believe it, I'm free."

"There's no need to repay me Sirius. You're my godfather. We're family. And this is just the first step to righting the injustice. We need to find Peter next. First though, how about we go out and celebrate."

"Excellent plan. Let me clean up a bit and I'll meet you out back. How about Francisco's? I could use a giant steak."

"Sounds wonderful."

Harry and Hermione waited a few minutes before Sirius joined them and then he apparated them from the back garden to an apparition point near the restaurant. Francisco's normally required reservations, but Harry took the lead, stepping in confidently as he placed a hand on the maître d's podium. The man looked a bit put out at first until Harry announced who he was. Then the maître d' noticed the ten galleon note in Harry's hand and shook politely before finding them a table. The next three hours was spent eating and talking, enjoying an amazing five course meal and a couple bottles of wine. The sight of Lord and Lady Potter and the infamous Sirius Black drew plenty of stares and whispers, but the trio was too happy to notice. Once they were done eating, Sirius took them back to Grimmauld and the Potters prepared to return to school.

"Thanks for a fantastic dinner Sirius. We'll be seeing you over the holidays. By the way, you won't need to side along with us much longer. We take our apparition tests on the 27th. As for the holiday, we have an invite to the Bones' manor for brunch on the 24th, then we have dinner at the Burrow that night. I'm sure Molly wouldn't mind if you came as well. Then we spend Christmas Day with Neil and Jean. School lets out on the 21st and we don't have to be back until the 3rd, so we'll have plenty of time together."

"That sounds brilliant. And I'm already invited to the Burrow for Christmas Eve. Remus is as well. I'll keep digging through the Black archives. I haven't found anything yet, but now I can visit Gringotts easier and get into the vault to look at the really old books. Hopefully I'll find something in there."

Harry nodded, happy for the help but frustrated to be reminded about his predicament. He gave Sirius one last hug and then he and Hermione floo'd back to school. They arrived in an empty office and called for Dobby to get them back to their apartment directly.

The last couple weeks before the holidays were busy for the Harry, Hermione and their friends. Between schoolwork, extra studies, Quidditch practice and defensive training in the Room of Requirement, they were anything but bored. On the 19th and 20th they were due to take their end of session exams. As they each sat in Charms, scribbling away, they found it was hard to separate their minds and focus on their own individual tests. The same thing happened in Transfiguration the next day. Harry was worried that the connection was going to hurt their exam results, but was calmed by Hermione's reassurance that she thought she had done quite well. Unable to do anything else, Harry fell into bed on the night of the 20th and was almost instantly asleep after the previous few grueling days. He still wasn't sure about the tests, but what was done was done.

When they woke the next morning, the Potters gathered their bags and headed for the Hogwarts Express. They had debated just floo'ing to the Leaky, but opted to take the traditional train ride with their friends. The first months of their OWL year was complete and they both looked forward to a couple weeks of relaxation.

o-o-o-o

 **I want to thank everyone for your enthusiastic response to this story. I am now going to do a shameless plug for another story of mine. I started something new that has been pestering me for a while. It's called _A Rainbow Dream_ and is something completely different from anything I've read before. I only have it listed with Ginny as the single character, but there are a lot of additional OC characters as Ginny is mainly living among muggles. The story hasn't seen much response and I guess it's because of that, I'm not sure. If you're looking for something unique and different, please check it out. I'd greatly appreciate it.**


	16. Christmas Holidays

Chapter 16 – Christmas Holidays

When Harry and Hermione got off the train, the Grangers were waiting for them and Harry felt a flush at seeing someone who loved him waiting for the train instead of his aunt and uncle. He paused for a moment and Hermione sensed his mood, reaching out to give his hand a squeeze. Neil and Jean stepped forward and Jean looked concerned at their sudden stop and the look on Harry's face.

"Harry, everything alright?"

"He's fine mum. Just a bit overwhelmed. Come love, let's go home."

Harry nodded and allowed his wife to guide him out of the station. He calmed on the ride home, and yes, it really did feel like he was going _home_ for a change. Neil and Jean were eager for details about school and their other activities. Written letters just couldn't convey everything. They had been thrilled that Sirius was cleared and had invited him for dinner on Christmas Eve. The drive went quickly and soon they had arrived. Feeling wonderfully content, Harry followed Hermione upstairs to their room to start unpacking. The rest of the day was spent lazing around the house, enjoying not having anything that had to be done.

The following day was three days before Christmas and Hermione declared that it was time to go shopping. After a quick conference at the breakfast table, they decided to take the Land Rover and go to the mall first, but split up into pairs, men and women. After the mall, they would then visit Diagon Alley. With the plans decided, they quickly cleaned up and headed out for the day. Once they reached the mall, Neil and Harry went the opposite direction as Hermione and Jean. They stopped first at a large department store and Harry found a couple blouses he thought Hermione would like. It still felt strange wandering the women's department shopping for his wife. He eyed the lingerie department, but decided that wouldn't be a good idea with her father by his side. Neil noticed though and suppressed a chuckle as he left Harry and decided to go check out tools. Once he was on his own, Harry went and found a couple of new nightgowns since Hermione had mentioned that hers were getting a bit worn. Truthfully, Harry hadn't noticed since he was usually paying more attention to his wife than the gown she was wearing.

Once he finished shopping for Hermione, Harry was left trying to figure out something for Neil and Jean, as well as all of his friends. He went and found Neil in the tools department and took note of the special scroll saw he seemed enamored with. He decided to just ask Neil for an idea for Jean.

"Hi Neil. I think I'm done with clothing. Except that I don't know what to get Jean. I know she likes to cook. Is there a kitchen appliance she needs? Or maybe a book? I know Hermione got her love of books from her mum."

Neil laughed and shook his head as he placed an arm around Harry's shoulders.

"Harry, there are a few things you need to learn about being married. First, never give an appliance or household item as a personal present. If you list it as a house present and give your wife something else personal, that's fine. If you give her a vacuum or a new set of pans, she just thinks you only want her to cook and clean for you. As for my wife, books are always good, but I never bother. I have no idea what she has already or what she wants. She gets her own books whenever she feels like it. Clothes are always a good bet and I could give you her sizes. Or jewelry. That's always well received with most women."

Harry nodded and thanked Neil. He never thought about the issue with gifting appliances. Neil definitely saved him there. Still thinking about what to get Jean, they exited into the main mall. A short distance away, Harry was glancing in windows when he found his answer at a small jewelry store. It was a necklace with a rose gold heart with the word 'mum' done in scrollwork in white gold inside it, set on a delicate white gold chain. Leaving Neil behind, he went into the store and bought it immediately. Once Neil caught up and saw what Harry had chosen, he let out a low whistle.

"Well Harry, I think you picked well. Be prepared for a few tears though."

Harry nodded and proceeded on with his shopping. He still wasn't sure what to get all his friends. And how was he supposed to shop for Neil with the man at his side? As they approached the center of the mall, he noticed an unusual store that offered personalized gifts. One of the items in the window was intriguing. It was a personalized hologram, made from two photographs. It moved almost like a wizard photograph and Harry knew his friends would love it, but how long would it take? He decided to go in and ask about it. The salesman told Harry that if he paid a rush fee, he could have the holograms ready the following day, but he needed to get the pictures to them as soon as possible. Harry nodded and Neil saw that their plans for the day were changing. He called Jean on his mobile and explained that they needed to go back to the house. They arranged to meet in the center of the mall and Neil and Harry went to wait for their wives. As they stood by the central kiosk, an older woman with spiky grey hair approached them.

"Wotcher Harry."

"Tonks? What are you doing here?"

"Guarding you of course Harry. I have to say having you all split up makes it hard. Anyway, I heard you need to get back to the Grangers for something? I'm not supposed to do this, but I could apparate and bring you back if it will help."

"What? Of course it would help. Hold on, here comes Hermione and Jean."

Harry quickly explained to Hermione what he had found and what he wanted to do. She loved the idea and agreed to go with him and Tonks back to the house. They quickly explained to Neil and Jean what the plan was and the older couple decided they would do some of their own shopping in the meantime, agreeing to meet back at the central kiosk in an hour and a half. Harry and Hermione then made their way toward the mall bathrooms, which were located on a long, dingy corridor behind some shops. Tonks appeared and nodded briefly, seeing that they were alone. Grabbing them each by an arm, she apparated them to the Grangers' back yard.

"Alright you two, make it quick. I'll wait here."

Harry and Hermione ran upstairs and Harry immediately pulled out a small photo album. Hermione knew that Harry treasured the few pictures that he had of his parents, so she had encouraged him to take pictures on occasion with them and their friends over the past few months. They flipped through the book together as Harry explained that they needed two pictures that were similar, but slightly different that could be fused into the hologram. After a few minutes, Hermione grew excited as she stopped toward the end of the book and pulled out a picture of them and all their friends standing in the Room of Requirement after a dueling practice. She then flipped back and found a picture of all of them standing outside by the lake on a brilliant fall day. Harry would have never put the two pictures together, but then he realized that in both the pictures, everyone was amazingly standing in the same order with near similar stances.

"Perfect Hermione. Now, how do we stop them moving? And how do we explain the robes and wands?"

"A simple stasis spell will freeze the pictures. And you can tell the store that you're part of a role-playing club."

"Brilliant. As always. Have I told you how much I love you dear?"

Harry leaned in to kiss her and only stopped when Hermione pulled away, gasping.

"Harry, Tonks is waiting and we need to get back to the mall."

Harry sighed and nodded. Hermione took the pictures and cast the stasis spell before they met Tonks in the back garden. She disillusioned herself and apparated back to the hallway at the mall. Once she saw it was clear, she came back and grabbed Harry and Hermione. They popped into the deserted hallway and Tonks followed, disillusioned, as they returned to the store. Harry ordered a hologram for each of their friends, as well as the Grangers and the rest of their allies. Hermione was a bit shocked at the cost with the rush fee of 120 pounds each, but Harry didn't flinch. The salesman indicated that the work would be started immediately and ready for pickup the following afternoon.

Once they finished ordering the holograms, Harry next wanted to go and purchase Neil's gift. They made their way back to the department store and Hermione agreed with Harry's selection of the scroll saw. The only problem was that once they purchased it, Harry was left carrying a very large, heavy box through the mall that Neil would definitely notice when they met again. Hermione fixed the issue when she dragged him into another back hallway and promptly shrunk the box and slid it into a bag with some other purchases. With that done, they headed back to the center of the mall. On the way, they stopped at a French chocolate store that was handing out samples. As they both savored the delectable treat, Harry decided to add a small box of them to the other gifts. They went in and selected chocolate treats for all their friends. As Harry made the purchase, he slyly added in a larger box for his wife. With that, they finished their shopping at the mall and went to meet Neil and Jean, who were waiting for them when they arrived. Before they left the mall, they stopped at a retro diner for a lunch of burgers and fries.

After leaving the muggle mall, Jean drove them into London and parked near the Leaky as they made their way to Diagon Alley. Harry picked up a couple additional gifts, including a beautiful speckled peacock quill for Hermione. Meanwhile, his wife was down the street picking up a set of custom cufflinks and robe clasp that she had ordered with the help of Sirius a couple months before. The cufflinks and clasp featured the Potter crest and were detailed with several small rubies. When she saw the finished product, she was delighted. After a number of owls back and forth, she had been concerned that what she wanted may not have been conveyed correctly. Sirius had been by to provide the crest and look at a few details. He had assured her that everything was going well, but she had to see it for herself. As she finished her shopping, Harry was in a cart, zooming through the levels of Gringotts on the way to his vault. Once he arrived, he began to look through the jewelry and found an understated, but beautiful necklace made of linked gold and silver with small diamonds encrusted in each link. The length would bring it right to collarbone level and he knew it would look beautiful on Hermione. Gringotts was his last stop for the afternoon and, when he exited, he went to meet Hermione at Fortescue's for an ice cream before going home.

The following day was the 23rd and the Grangers declared that they were overdue to get the holiday decorations up. Neil had done the outside lights, but Jean insisted that they wait until school was out to do the any indoor decorating. In the morning, Harry and Neil hauled all the boxes out of the basement and the long process began. The first task was to assemble the ten foot artificial tree. Although she loved real trees, Jean's severe allergies wouldn't tolerate bringing one into the house. As Hermione, Neil and Jean started to open boxes, Harry stood back and watched, unsure of what to do. Jean turned to him with a puzzled look.

"Harry, come over here and help us. The tree is first, then we have the garlands for the stairs, stockings, my snowman collection and a few other items. Go ahead and start wherever you want."

Harry took a halting couple of steps forward, still unsure. Hermione felt what the problem was and turned to her husband.

"Love, come over here and help me start with the tree decorations. Dad will get the tree up and then we can start decorating it, lights first. Just follow me. Come on, it's fun."

Neil looked at them, puzzled about what was happening.

"Harry, haven't you celebrated Christmas before?"

"Um, yes. But I've never done any decorations."

"No tree, lights, anything?"

"Well, there were decorations, but I never did anything with them. My uncle would have me bring the boxes down from the attic and then send me back to my room after. My aunt didn't want me breaking anything. And we have lots of trees and decorations at school, but the professors and staff all take care of those."

Jean scowled and shook her head.

"Well then, this will be a special Christmas. We have way more than we probably should and an extra set of hands will be most welcome. Now, I just realized one more thing. We haven't got carols."

Jean went to the stereo and started playing an album of traditional carols in the background as Harry took Hermione's lead and started decorating. When they reached the top third of the tree, Neil was going to fetch a ladder, but Hermione shook her head as she pulled her wand and started levitating ornaments. Harry followed suit as the Grangers stepped back to watch the show. When the tree was done, it looked magnificent and Harry was beaming. The morning had gone by quickly, so they decided to get some lunch before spending the afternoon doing the rest of the decorations. By that point, Harry was much more comfortable and had started to take initiative with some of the decorating. When they finished in the late afternoon, the entire house looked spectacular. They were all tired, but it had been a good day. There was one last thing that they needed to do though and Jean agreed to take Harry to the mall to pick up the holograms. When he saw the end result, he was thrilled and knew that everyone would love them. Each featured the picture by the lake as the top image, but then a subtle tip of the picture would change it to the picture taken after dueling practice. Leaving it tipped halfway caused the two images to fuse. He happily packed up all of them and then he and Jean went back home. That night after dinner, everyone separated to different rooms to work on gift wrapping, with occasional switches back and forth as each person needed paper or ribbons that someone else had. It was nearly eleven once they finished and headed for bed.

The following day was Christmas Eve and they had both the Bones brunch and the dinner with Sirius planned. Harry also needed to get to the owl post and send off the gifts for all his friends. Hermione was up early before him and he groaned at her.

"Love, what time is it? Can't we sleep in? We don't have to be at brunch until ten."

"You can if you want dear, but I'm awake. I don't know, I'm just really energized. Why don't I see who our guard is and see if they can help me pop over to Diagon? I'll take the owl post for you so that's done."

"Sounds good love, thanks."

Harry's last word was muffled as he pressed his face back into the pillow and Hermione just smiled at him. He was so predictable sometimes. She made her way downstairs and talked to Jean briefly, who was aware of Hermione's plans. She then carefully hid all of the gifts that were due to be posted in her dad's office. She and Jean then spent an hour talking and drinking tea before Hermione decided to go wake Harry. Jean also went to fetch Neil from his office. Harry was downstairs shortly, still groggy as he reached for the tea. He spent a few minutes with the family and then he and Hermione went to get dressed for brunch at Bones castle.

Once they were attired in their dress robes, they said goodbye to the Grangers and stepped into the garage. They didn't even need to call when Tonks appeared.

"Wotcher you two. Amelia asked that I pop you over to her place this morning."

Harry hadn't realized that Tonks was going to be on duty again and suddenly had the thought that this was the perfect time. Hermione realized what he was thinking and let go of his hand to dart back inside. She returned a minute later and handed a wrapped box to Tonks.

"What? Why are you giving me a gift?"

"Because we want to. Happy Christmas Tonks. We know we have other guards, but you seem to be around the most and you're always helpful in getting us where we need to go. You'll be happy to know that we take apparition testing in a couple days. Anyway, it's just a small thank you for your help."

The normally stoic Auror didn't know what to say as she looked down and carefully unwrapped the box. She oohed when she saw the box of French chocolates. Harry was glad that she seemed happy with them.

"We weren't sure what to get you, but I've learned that most women seem to like chocolate. Especially good chocolate."

"I tell you Hermione, it's a good thing that the fates bound you two. Otherwise I'd be joining the line to take him."

Hermione chuckled as Tonks thanked them and carefully tucked the chocolates inside her robes. She then took them each by and arm and apparated them to Bones castle.

Castle was actually a bit of stretch for the large English manor house that greeted them. Still, it looked inviting with its informal English gardens spreading out across the front. Tonks said goodbye and Harry took his wife's hand as he led her up to the door. They had barely knocked when Susan opened the door and greeted them enthusiastically. She ushered them into the parlor, where Amelia came over to welcome them officially. There were already about thirty people in attendance, including Arthur, Molly and Sirius. Harry and Hermione began to mingle as they were introduced around the room to those they didn't know. Another dozen arrived after them and then a house elf popped in to announce that brunch was ready and lead them all to the formal dining room. The room was quite opulent with gilded frames accenting a number of wizard portraits and several ancient tapestries. The ceiling was dominated by an enormous gold and crystal chandelier. The long table could easily fit sixty, so it wasn't even crowded by the group in attendance. Harry couldn't believe that this was where Susan lived. Their friend was actually seated on his left, while Hermione was seated on his right, and she leaned in as she saw the look on Harry's face.

"Don't look so intimidated Harry. This is all just for show. Aunt Amelia and I only use this room a few times a year.'

Harry nodded and then his attention was drawn to the elaborate selection of dishes that appeared on the table. Elegant pastries sat next to a platter of roast beef, which sat next to a tureen of vichyssoise. He took a minute to look at everything before deciding where to start. Some of the French dishes were new to him, but Hermione gave him clues as they went along. All of the food was delicious and the conversation at the table was an interesting mix of business discussions and Ministry business. He answered questions as they were posed and interjected an occasional comment, but mainly just listened and absorbed what was happening around him. The meal lasted almost two hours before everyone was done and the table magically cleared. All of the guests returned to the parlor for drinks and further conversation before they gradually began to leave. Hermione took Harry by an arm and they went to say their goodbyes to their hostess, who flicked a couple dials on her watch to call for Tonks and let the Auror know they were ready to return. When they stepped outside, she was waiting and they were popped back to the Grangers around one in the afternoon.

While they had been gone, Jean and Neil had begun preparations for dinner and the house smelled amazing. Harry was quick to volunteer to help, but Jean dissuaded him.

"I know you want to help Harry, but can you please let us do this? You and Hermione need your time together. I know how busy you've been at school."

Harry was about to protest, but then Hermione came up behind him and wrapped him in a hug as she nuzzled his neck. His resolve melted and he just nodded as Hermione dragged him upstairs for some alone time. Several hours later, they decided it was time to get cleaned up before Sirius arrived. Their shower took a bit long, but both were feeling decidedly refreshed after and went to put on their festive finery. Harry wore black trousers with a deep green silk shirt that Hermione loved for the way it accented his eyes, while she wore a satin red dress that came to mid-thigh and had a couple swirls of white crystals going around it, making her look like candy. Harry drooled as he looked at her.

 _You look positively yummy dear. If Sirius wasn't coming over, I'd suggest we stay in our room._

 _Really love? Haven't you had enough of me after the past couple hours?_

 _Never._

Hermione laughed and kissed him briefly, but then pushed him back as she led him down the stairs. The whole house smelled amazing and Harry wondered what Neil and Jean had been cooking. Then a knock sounded at the back patio door and they went to answer it. Harry was gobsmacked when he saw the entire Weasley clan waiting in the back yard. Hermione grinned and wrapped an arm around him.

"Surprise my love."

Harry turned and looked at her, shaking his head as he gave her a thorough kiss. He then remembered that all the Weasleys were waiting and welcomed them in. He was thrilled to see that even Bill and Charlie had made it, although Percy had not. Lately he had not been on speaking terms with his parents. Harry had never been overly friendly with the third Weasley son, but it still saddened him. Neil and Jean appeared and happily welcomed everyone to their home. As the boisterous clan was being ushered to the living room, another knock sounded from the back door. This time it was Neville with his grandmother. While Harry welcomed them, Sirius popped in, followed closely after by Remus. Next came Amelia and Susan. Finally, Luna arrived with a man wearing vivid magenta robes that could only be her father. All of his allies and friends were attendance. Obviously Hermione had been planning this for a while. After they welcomed Amelia and Susan, he pulled her to him and looked in her eyes.

"Thank you for this my love. I don't suppose you actually posted the owls this morning? And I also suppose that there is a large quantity of food in the kitchen that is the reason I have been banned?"

Hermione just smirked and kissed him before then taking his hand and joining all their guests in the living room. The Weasleys had brought several cases of butterbeer and Neil was offering his famous egg nog as everyone selected a drink and found seats. Arthur seemed distracted as he looked all around at the many muggle devices. Harry noticed that Molly was gripping his hand and thought that was the only reason why Arthur wasn't across the room inspecting the telly. Everyone was talking about their previous couple days and trying to get all their shopping done. Several people also mentioned that whatever was cooking smelled amazing, while others admired the elaborate decorations around the house. Every seat in the room was stuffed with people and a few were sitting on the floor, but everyone was in high spirits and comfortable. Harry looked around and couldn't believe his good fortune.

After about an hour, Neil returned from the kitchen and announced that dinner was ready. The Grangers' dining table normally sat twelve max, but Hermione had done a bit of transfiguration and stretched it out, pulling one end out of the dining room into the living room part way. She had layered several tablecloths and then decorated the entire length. Extra chairs were brought from around the house as all twenty of them crowded in. Neil and Jean had outdone themselves with an elaborate spread that included a large prime rib, two roasted ducks, a ham, and a dozen side dishes. Dessert was two trifles, three pies and the largest yule log that Harry had ever seen. Jean did admit that the yule log came from the bakery. By the end, even the Weasley boys were looking full. As everyone groaned, Molly insisted that she help with cleanup, as did Harry and Hermione. After a couple minutes though, Harry yielded to Molly's superior skills with household spells as the copious plates and serving dishes marched easily through a cycle of rinsing, washing and drying. The only thing left for them to do was the put away since Molly didn't know how the kitchen was organized. The entire process took fifteen minutes and left the Grangers astonished at the use of magic.

After the cleanup, everyone decided that they wanted to see the Christmas light display that Neil had told them about. There were no lights in the back where everyone had apparated to, so they all stepped out front to admire Neil's hard work. When they turned around, they also got a chance to look around at the rest of the neighborhood, which was particularly festive. Harry thought at one point that Arthur was going to have a seizure from the excitement, but then they all headed back inside.

Once everyone selected another round of drinks, the celebration moved to center around the large Christmas tree, which was piled with gifts. Harry noticed that the gifts for his friends that must have been hidden somewhere had now been added to the pile. The pile was quickly divided up and paper started flying as everyone started opening their packages. Hermione had made sure that the gifts for their friends were all opened at once since they were identical. When everyone saw the holograms, they were all incredibly amazed. Arthur kept flipping and turning his, trying to figure it out.

"So muggles do have moving pictures?"

"Well, not normally. These are called holograms. It's a special process that is more expensive than normal pictures and not used often."

That then brought up questions about how the holograms were created, which Harry gratefully yielded to Hermione, who was happy to give a brief lecture on the matter. As the commotion over the holograms died down, the other presents were opened and the chocolates also met with rave reviews. The only person that Harry hadn't anticipated shopping for was Luna's father. He had picked up a couple extra small boxes of chocolates that Xeno seemed quite fine with and Luna smiled at his thoughtfulness. Once his friends finished their gifts, Harry, Hermione and the Grangers all opened theirs from their friends. They all received a number of different candies from different friends. Harry also got a book on the history of Quidditch, while Hermione received several books, including one very old one on Druidic magic that came from the Black family library. She could tell it was quite rare and valuable, but Sirius insisted. The twins also gifted Harry with some samples of their early joke products, but knew better than to give any to Hermione. Instead, she received a selection of colored runic inks. As all the packages were opened and the debris was cleaned, Harry looked at all his friends and decided it was time to summon his courage and tell them what was in heart.

"Everyone, I appreciate every single gift and I'm thrilled that you all took this special evening to spend it with us. The most important gift you have each given me is your friendship. I went for many years not knowing the meaning of that word and I appreciate it even more now that I have it in abundance. Also, I'd like to thank my amazing wife for being so sneaky and setting this up. I need to thank Neil and Jean as well for doing all the cooking since I was obviously banned from witnessing the fact that they were cooking for a small army."

A couple people wiped tears and Hermione leaned over to give him a quick kiss. Jean couldn't take it anymore and came over to hug them both. The entire group stayed for a while longer, until the night finally had to wrap up and they all started to leave. As Luna and Xeno were preparing to go, Harry glanced at Hermione and she nodded. They had been talking about creating one more alliance since Luna was usually in their group anyway. With that in mind, Harry stepped over to talk to the head of House Lovegood.

"Xeno, before you go, I wanted to ask you something. I don't want to discuss business tonight, but I was wondering if you would mind meeting with me in a couple days?"

"Hmm, alright. How about Boxing Day? I have a Quibbler to send out in the morning. Perhaps afternoon. Say around three."

"That sounds good, thanks Xeno."

He nodded and they said their final goodbyes to the Lovegoods. Soon all the guests were gone and the house seemed unnaturally quiet. The two couples returned to the living room and collapsed, tired but happy after the long day. They talked for a bit longer, but then Harry noticed that Hermione was nodding off and decided it was time for bed.

Christmas morning dawned frigid but sunny as Harry awoke and smiled at the beauty next to him. His thoughts drifted to the previous night and his smile broadened. Voldemort may be back, but for a few idyllic days he was going to bask in the joy of the holiday and try to forget what awaited them. Soon Hermione stirred and smiled at him. They spent a few minutes like that and then donned robes to head downstairs. The tree was piled with gifts again and the Grangers were in the kitchen making tea. Jean saw that they were awake and hugged them each good morning.

"Happy Christmas dears. We'll have tea shortly. Now, do you want to eat first, or open presents?"

"PRESENTS!" was the unanimous reply from the young couple.

Jean laughed and nodded. Within a few minutes everyone had a cup of tea and went to circle the Christmas tree as they shared their family presents. Hermione opened a couple of her blouses first and was happy with the selections. Then she exclaimed over the peacock quill. Neil meanwhile had located the large box and looked like a small boy when he laid eyes on his new saw.

"How did you get this in here without me seeing?"

"Magic dad."

Jean chuckled and then opened her gift from Harry. As Neil had predicted, the tears started almost immediately. She insisted that Harry put it on her and he kissed her cheek once it was in place. Next, he opened the gift from Hermione with his cuff links and robe clasp. The pieces were exquisite workmanship and he marveled as he ran a finger over the crest.

"Love, how did you? This is custom work. It must have taken forever."

"About two months. I sent quite a few owls and Sirius helped with some of the arrangements."

Harry shook his head and kissed her. He then handed her one more box. When she saw the necklace, she gasped. It was extraordinarily beautiful and must have cost a fortune. She also insisted that Harry help her put it on. When she looked in a mirror, she shook her head.

"Oh my love, it's breathtaking, but you shouldn't spoil me so."

"Nonsense. You deserve it. Anyway, it came from the Potter vault. I thought it was time that you started to receive some of the family heirlooms."

Hermione reached to tuck herself into his arms, unable to hold back the tears. The fact that he hadn't actually spent money on it didn't matter. He had selected something precious from his family and given it to her. She was unable to put words to what she was feeling, although Harry felt it through their bond. Once she collected herself, they pulled apart and saw that Jean was sitting on Neil's lap, smiling at the both of them. The cleanup was done quickly and then they went to eat breakfast.

After breakfast, Neil could barely contain himself as he darted for the garage to setup his new saw. Harry went with him, grinning at how happy he was. Hermione and Jean decided to spend some mother-daughter time playing a few games of rummy. When their men finally emerged from the garage, additional games were brought out and the family spent the rest of the day playing. Dinner that night was a selection of leftovers from the previous night. Jean had been unsure about that, wanting to cook a special Christmas dinner. Her family assured her that they were quite happy with keeping the day simple. When the evening finally drew to a close, both couples parted to their separate bedrooms.

The following day Harry and Hermione spent the morning studying and then practiced for their apparition exam the following day. They ate a simple lunch of sandwiches with Neil and Jean before the older couple left to visit friends. Shortly before three, they were about to step outside and signal their Auror of the day when they heard a knock at the back door. When Hermione went to answer it, she was surprised to Xeno Lovegood waiting for them.

"Hello Hermione. Luna said that you might need help getting to the house. I'm here to take you side along if you wish."

"Excellent. Thanks Xeno. We were just figuring that out. We actually have our apparition exams tomorrow and then we won't have to keep asking for help."

"No problem, I don't mind."

Harry and Hermione each stepped to one side and Xeno took them each by an arm as he twisted and apparated them to the Lovegood home. The sight of the strange house was a bit boggling at first, but not unexpected given whose house it was. They started up a walk leading through a most unusual garden when Luna came running out the door to greet them. She brought them inside and immediately offered them gurdyroot tea. Unsure what it was, but also not wanting to insult their friend, they each accepted a cup of the strange, purplish tea. Upon sipping it, Harry had to use all his willpower to not gag. About all he could say for the tea was that it tasted better than polyjuice. Hermione had just reached for her own cup when she felt his disgust and decided to just pretend to sip it, silently thanking him for the warning. She then began talking to Luna about their holiday and then turned to Xeno to ask about the latest edition of the Quibbler. This was Xeno's favorite discussion topic and he soon began to talk animatedly, hardly letting anyone else get a word in. Harry and Hermione remained polite, nodding and making appropriate positive noises. Harry still had much he had to discuss, but Xeno seemed to be able to go on forever. Then Luna put a hand on her father's arm and he paused to look at her.

"Father. I know Harry and Hermione are being polite, but they really do have other business that they need to discuss with you."

"Of course my little moonflower. My apologies, let us discuss the business you came here about."

Hermione squeezed Harry's hand and he resigned himself to the long process of once again detailing what they faced. First though, he had to see if House Lovegood would be interested in an alliance.

"Mr. Lovegood, I come to you right now not as your friend Harry, but as Lord Potter of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. I face several great challenges in the near future and Lord Voldemort is seeking me personally. For this reason, I find it necessary to seek allies. The Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, as well as the Noble Houses of Longbottom and Bones and House Weasley have already allied with me in this cause. I cannot give more details to a non-ally, but I can assure you that what I face is most dangerous. Luna is a good friend and I believe has some suspicions, but we haven't informed her of everything yet. I would now like to offer you a formal alliance between my house and House Lovegood. If you agree, then I will give you more details. If you do not, I will understand and I hope that our friendship can continue."

Harry paused and was ready to give Xeno a chance to contemplate the offer, but he answered almost immediately.

"Ah well, it seems that Luna has been correct in her guess as to the reason for your requesting this meeting. I must say that I am quite pleased and will most happily ally House Lovegood with the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. The Lovegood family has always stood in the light."

"Excellent. Then, I, Harry James Potter do hereby offer a formal alliance between House Lovegood and the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. What say you?"

"I, Xenophius Xavarius Lovegood, do hereby happily accept an alliance between House Lovegood and the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. So mote it be."

The usual brief flash occurred as the alliance took hold and Luna began clapping. She then came over and hugged each of them. Seeing the serious look on Harry's face, she sat back down. Harry then began to give all the details on the prophecy and the horcruxes, including the one that was lodged in his scar. Luna normally didn't seem upset by anything, but even she seemed stunned at the news. Xeno took it all in and then stood up and started pacing. After a couple minutes, he turned back to the Potters.

"Thank you for entrusting us with this information Harry. I don't know what I can offer, but I do have some unusual books in the Lovegood library. Nothing dark, but perhaps something will at least give a clue. I'll begin a search immediately."

"And I will as well. And when we return to school, I can help Hermione in the school library."

"Thank you both. I wasn't anticipating you having resources to help. Anything would be an advantage right now."

They talked for a few more minutes and then Harry and Hermione got up to leave. Xeno apparated them back home and they decided to relax for a while after the difficult meeting.

The following day they had their apparition exam at two in the afternoon. Tonks had been notified and was waiting for them when they opened the garage. She greeted them with a smile and seemed excited for them.

"Alright you two, today's the day. Soon you can pop yourselves around. Not that I mind, but I know what it's like to have the freedom. By the way, the chocolates were most yummy. Notice the past tense."

Harry laughed, glad that the gift had been appreciated. Seconds later they arrived in the Ministry atrium and Tonks disappeared before they could thank her. They made their way down four floors to the testing department and immediately filled out their forms and paid the fees. They took their tests simultaneously and both passed easily. A little over an hour after Tonks had delivered them, they apparated themselves back home. They immediately went to deliver the good news to Neil and Jean, who declared a celebration was in order and made reservations at their favorite Indian restaurant.

The last few days of the holiday passed quickly for Harry and Hermione. They spent some time on defensive and mind magics studies, but also enjoyed the time with Neil and Jean, who ensured that the young couple took the time to enjoy their holiday. Soon it was January 3rd and they were heading back to King's Cross to catch the Hogwarts Express.


	17. A Snake in the House

Chapter 17 – A Snake in the House

The first week back after the holidays was the worst yet for assignments and schoolwork. Now that they were in the last months until OWLs, all professors seemed manic to stuff every last bit of information into them. Harry and Hermione also had an unusual, but not wholly unexpected development when they arrived back from the holidays. After their first Transfiguration class, Professor McGonagall asked them to stay after the rest of the class. Harry was nervous, but Hermione was curious. When they approached the professor's desk, she wore a strange expression that made them both wonder.

"Mr. and Mrs. Potter, please sit. I need to talk to you about your test results from the end of last session."

Hermione blanched as images of test failure flashed through her head and her stomach did flips. Harry's voice calmed her before true panic set in.

 _Really love? You would never fail a test. It's more likely that you scored higher than any student in the history of school and they want to award you._

Before Hermione could retort, the professor continued.

"Here are the results of your tests. You both did quite well, but there is an issue. I suppose it's not surprising, but it does leave us in a quandary. Mr. Potter, no offense, but your scores have never been as high as Mrs. Potter's. At least until now. Mrs. Potter scored top for her year once again, but you're only two points behind her due to one slight miss on your Transfiguration exam. I've looked at that question and your handwriting seems strangled, almost as if you were forcing something. Then, when I received the rest of the results, I decided to review each test and was quite startled. If I had seen the same results with anyone else, I would suspect cheating, despite the protections we put in place to prevent that. You see, in reviewing your tests, I find many of the answers to be nearly the same. The wording changes slightly, but the ideas and the order of the answers are identical. I think it is obvious that your bond makes separating the two of you for exams a near impossibility. I have a suspicion with my exam since it was one of the last one taken that Mr. Potter was perhaps trying to force his own answers and that is the reason for the change in his writing. Am I correct in my assumptions?"

 _Aw shite love, what do we tell her? I really tried to keep my mind on my own tests._

 _I know, I did the same. Even when I was ready to write my usual two feet of parchment answers, you were in my head and I had this feeling that I had done enough and moved on. And some of your insights on the questions were so fresh and interesting that I couldn't ignore them. I think we just need to tell her._

The silence caused the professor to raise an eyebrow as she looked back and forth between them. Harry gave Hermione a small mental nudge and she took the lead.

"Sorry professor, Harry and I were just conferring. You are correct in your assumption. We both tried to block each other out during the tests, but it's quite difficult to do so. Will this be a problem, especially with OWLs? Will it be considered cheating?"

"Well, it's not a problem for now. I've talked with the other professors and the headmaster and they all understand. Professor Babbling was actually quite excited that Mr. Potter has caught up completely in Runes. Professor Flitwick even suggested that we may want to save time and have you two test together, but I don't believe that is wise. The headmaster suggested that you might try working on your mind magics to block each other better, but even he isn't sure that would work. For now, we will continue with testing as we have been and all of the professors will allow for your unique link. If it continues the same up until OWLs, we will need to talk to the examination department at the Ministry to see how they want to handle you. Honestly, soul bonds are so rare that no one has experience in this regard. Anyway, you've got plenty to keep yourselves occupied. I wouldn't worry too much on this for now, but I did need to bring it to your attention."

"Thanks professor. I guess we will try to block more, but that will be hard."

The professor nodded and they let the office. While they didn't talk to each other, their thoughts swirled together with many of the same musings.

Over the next couple weeks, they fell back into a routine of study, research and Quidditch. Gryffindor was due to play Slytherin at the end of January and the entire school was anticipating the match. They often retreated to the Gryffindor common room for class study, and then went to the Potters' apartment for their extra studies among the allies. Now that the Lovegoods were allies and Luna knew everything, it made things easier because the others didn't have to be careful about saying something they shouldn't. She also had a calming effect on everyone and a surprising tempering effect on Ron that was made evident one day in the library. Everyone gathered one evening after dinner, filing in and claiming their usual table toward the back of the library. Ron and Luna were the last to arrive and Ron was busy stuffing the last of a roll in his mouth. When he saw everyone, he spoke without thinking, although much of it was unintelligible since his mouth was full. Luna let go of his hand and turned to stare at him. She didn't scowl, but her gaze bore into him as his eyes met hers.

"Ronald, please! Chew then talk. If you keep doing that, the mergimblies are going nest and I'm going to have to leave."

"Yes Luna."

Properly chastened, Ron approached the table and set down his and Luna's books. Luna was standing behind a chair, just waiting. Ron seemed to suddenly get the hint and reached to pull the chair out for her. He was rewarded by a brilliant smile and a quick kiss that made him grin. Hermione watched the exchange and tried not to smirk.

 _Well, it seems all that Ron needed was a good woman to refine him a bit. And Luna has the patience._

 _Which she'll need._

Hermione suppressed a laugh at Harry's parting comment and turned her focus back to their Charms essay. After a couple hours in the library, all of the friends retreated back to the Potter apartment for a session of meditating and occlumency practice. The first half hour was spent with everyone sitting on the rug in front of the fireplace as they worked in a group. They would first bring up their shields and then have a partner try to get past the shields. When that was done, each person went to find separate areas around the apartment to meditate and rebuild their shield strength before retiring for the night. While each person was supposed to be on their own, the three couples all decided they wanted some personal time. The only person not paired among the group was Susan. Once she finished her meditation and brought herself out of trance, she heard a variety of unusual noises and stood to look around the room. The sights that met her made her shake her head. Harry and Hermione were still on the rug in front of the fire. Harry's shirt was gone and Hermione's blouse was half unbuttoned while they fondled and snogged. In another corner, Ginny was perched on Neville's lap on a love seat and her top was also off while they locked lips. In another corner, Luna straddled Ron while they devoured each other.

"Alright everyone, my meditation is done and I think it's time for bed. I guess I'll leave all you couples alone."

A sucking sound came from the corner where Luna separated from Ron. Next Harry pulled away from Hermione while she closed her blouse. Then Neville and Ginny separated. Ginny stood up and looked at her friend.

"Oops, sorry Susie. We need to get you a boyfriend so that you can have some fun of your own."

Susan shook her head and looked away, only to find herself staring into Luna's too perceptive eyes. Luna looked at her queerly and then smiled.

"Who is he? Or she?"

"What Luna? I…I don't know what…what you're talking about."

"Ha! You couldn't even say that with a straight face. Which means Luna is right. As usual. So, male or female? Who is it Susie?"

By this time her six friends had all gathered and were looking at her curiously, while Ginny waited for an answer. Susan was at a loss. She had hoped to keep it a secret for a while longer. Then again, this group held far greater secrets among themselves.

"Alright, fine, yes there is someone. I am not in a position to tell you who HE is yet. I need to talk to him. It's complicated. It's only been going on for a few weeks. Really, when I can, I'll tell you. Now, I'm going. You may all return to your snogging and other activities."

Harry looked concerned and stepped forward.

"Susie, I won't push you to talk, but are you alright? Whoever he is, he better treat you right."

"Harry, thanks, but you don't need to protect me in this case. He is quite wonderful with me."

Susan's slightly dreamy look as she said that mollified her friends. It was nearly curfew and they all agreed that they needed to get back to their dorms.

Three days later, Susan caught Hermione and Harry in the hallway and surprised them when she asked if she could bring someone with her to their study session that night. They readily agreed, looking forward to finding out who the mystery man was. That evening, the other six friends were all gathered in the Potters' apartment when Susan entered. As she stepped in, the man who came in behind her caused Neville to drop his book while the others looked on, stunned. Susan smiled at her friends as she made the unnecessary introductions.

"Hi everyone. I'm sure you've all met Blaise Zabini, at least casually. Blaise, do you know everyone here?"

"Yes Suse, at least I know of them, although several of you I haven't spoken with directly."

Harry's feelings were roiling as he regarded the Slytherin. He trusted Susan, but still. They had a lot going on that he didn't need the general population of Slytherins to learn about. Hermione felt his confusion and tried to comfort him.

 _Let's give them a chance to explain dear._

Hermione stood and held out a welcoming hand.

"Hello Blaise. Please, come sit. We're all a bit stunned. You've never paid us much attention in the past. I know several of us have questions."

Blaise bowed his head and then responded.

"My thanks for the welcome Lady Potter, I am indeed aware that my presence has caused distress, although I would wish it otherwise."

"Please Blaise, here we are all friends. My name is Hermione. If you insist on using titles, then I think I would need to call you Scion Zabini."

"Actually no, you wouldn't, but that is part of the story."

Blaise took an offered seat and Susan sat on a chair next to him. Everyone could see he was nervous, but he lightened when Susan gave him a warm smile It was obvious the feelings between them.

"Alright everyone, I know you've got a lot of questions. Susan has told me that House Bones is allied with House Potter and I know that it is probable that she is privy to certain knowledge due to that alliance, but I want to assure you that I know no specifics. But, you all are important to her, and she is important to me so that's why I'm here. First, just to reassure myself, can I ask that you each take an oath to not reveal what I am going to tell you? Even to professors."

Harry nodded and drew his wand, as did the others. Each said their oaths in turn and then Hermione laid very heavy privacy wards around them. Blaise's eyes went wide as he felt the wards laid down.

"Wow, I heard rumors that you and Harry were powerful. Anyway, thanks everyone for the oaths. I have some very dangerous enemies, many of whom are the same as yours. This all started about six weeks ago, just after I went home for the break. Perhaps though, I should go back further. As you know, my family is very old pureblood. I was raised strict under all the old laws. I know my mother cares for me, but to my father I was an asset to the house, to be cultured and grown to benefit House Zabini. My greeting to Lady Potter may have sounded formal, but that is the way I was raised. From the time I can remember, every action I presented in front of my parents was scrutinized. This is the way with the old purebloods. We are to be paragons of society, to show no emotion, but to remain devious and cunning underneath. Once I reached the age of fourteen, my early training escalated as my father prepared me for adulthood. This also coincided with the new rise of the Dark Lord and he considered it fortuitous for me to be coming of age during this time. In the past two years, I have been present at several meetings with the Dark Lord, his followers, and those of us in the next generation. I cannot say that I enjoyed these meetings, but then again I also did not enjoy when I was betrothed last year to six year old Agnes Bulstrode. Over the last two years, I have done my best to maintain the facade my father required and have tried to understand the reason for the passion he has in following the Dark Lord. I have found this quite difficult though since I have gotten to know his followers and most of them are spineless idiots. Then I come to school and I see an absolutely brilliant muggleborn who grasps concepts of magic that most of us are still fumbling over. Then I look to the other side and see those that are called blood traitors who stand braver than any of the Dark Lord's followers. I have been trying to resolve these internal conflicts for over a year, until everything came to a head during the holidays."

Blaise let out a long breath and took a swig of the pumpkin juice he had been handed before continuing.

"The day after I returned home, my father called me to his office for family business. Realizing by his tone how serious he was, I put on my dress robes, combed my hair and presented myself formally to him. He then informed me that the following day I was going to be accorded the honor of meeting personally with the Dark Lord, who had a task for me. Once that task was complete, I would be given the Dark Mark. I cannot tell you how proud my father seemed. Prouder than he has ever been with me before. He didn't ask what I wanted, because in pureblood families, children always want what their head of house desires. I was horrified at the thought, and did something stupid when I told him I wasn't sure I wanted to follow the Dark Lord. He reprimanded me with his fists and then dismissed me and I returned to my wing to figure out what to do. I knew I could not go through with it, so that night I ran away. I took my school trunk with me, as well as several pieces of jewelry and a good bit of cash from my allowances that I had saved. I had no idea where I was going, so I stuck the trunk to my broom and flew for a while. Before I knew it, I found myself at Bones Manor. I knew the place from a social function that I attended when I was ten, and of course everyone knows Madam Bones. I had been at a loss about what to do, but figured if anyone could help me, it would be the head of the DMLE. As soon as I landed just outside the wards, alarms went off and Aurors appeared. I laid down my wand and told them I was seeking asylum. Madam Bones appeared and questioned me, as well as having the Aurors search me and my trunk. Once she was assured it was safe, she took me into the house. I'll be honest, I was scared and was having a hard time covering it. She realized this and sat me down with tea and biscuits so that we could talk. This was at one in the morning. I couldn't believe the kindness she was showing and that only made me more sure that I was right to have left. I offered to take veritaserum, but when she refused, I swore on my magic and told her everything. She immediately called the legal department, as well as social services and a healer. The healer came by and took care of what my father had done to my face. By the next afternoon, I was officially a ward of the Ministry and was placed in Amelia's care as a foster. When my father was notified, I received an owl the next morning indicating that I was officially disowned. I am now Blaise No Name. If you had told me I would have no name a year ago, the thought would have terrified me, but compared to what the Dark Lord had planned, it's nothing."

Blaise paused and the group all had a bevy of questions. Harry decided to start.

"Wow Blaise. I feel for you. That was incredibly brave to do what you did. What does Slytherin think? They must know."

"Yes, all of Slytherin house knows. My father's associates informed their children, who spread the word around the rest of the house. The professors all know of course, although the headmaster decided not to change my name on the rolls yet and the news has amazingly stayed within the house."

"So, if the house knows, how do they treat you? Are you still staying there?"

"The house has shunned me. The headmaster gave me a small one room apartment nearby and formally met with the entire house with Snape present. He made it clear that anyone who even threatened me would be expelled. I was actually rather amazed that he stood up for me like he did. I'm still technically a Slytherin, but I don't truly have a house anymore. You would have noticed during the match on Saturday, because I won't be playing."

"Alright, I guess that explains a few things, but what about you and Susan? How long has that been going on?"

Blaise and Susan smiled at each other as he reached to squeeze his hand. He nodded and she took over.

"Well, when the alarms went off two days before Christmas, I woke up and went downstairs to see what was happening. After Blaise was questioned and searched, he came in the house with Aunt Amelia. I was standing in the living room in my house robe and still looking a bit stunned. Aunt Amelia stopped to introduce us and it was strange, like I was paralyzed. When he reached to shake my hand, we both just stood there holding hands and staring at each other. Aunt Amelia told me later that she found it a bit funny. Anyway, I eventually found my brain and had tea and biscuits with him while Blaise told his story. Over the next couple days, we talked a fair bit and found that we have a lot of similar interests. Then, on Christmas afternoon, we got caught under some mistletoe together. As soon as we kissed, I thought I would pass out. It wasn't anything like when you and Harry bonded, but I've never had that happen before. And, yes, I have kissed a couple other guys. That night we talked and decided to pursue something more than friendship. Aunt Amelia wasn't surprised at all of course, although she made sure that we understand her house rules."

"Okay, so that means Blaise was at Bones Manor on Christmas Eve? Why didn't we see him at brunch?"

"Yes, I was there. Amelia thought it best to not make a scene, which my being there would have. I agreed and ate in the kitchen. I had only been gone for a couple days and she was still working on the legal paperwork."

"So that means you and Susie have been dating for about five weeks."

"Alright Blaise, thank you for being straight with us. I can understand that you're in a unique position. As you know, Susan is allied with House Potter. This gives her access to certain house secrets. While you can't be privy to those, I can tell you that a war is imminent, not that you're surprised I'm sure. We meet to study, as well as work on defense and mind magics training. I'll be honest, I'm still a bit leery of you, but I trust Susan."

"That's fine Harry, I understand. I want you to know that I support what you are doing, even if I can only guess at most of it. From what I've heard over the last few years, if anyone can defeat the Dark Lord, you seem to have the best chance."

With a tentative acceptance reached, the group began their studies. When it was time for their meditation and mind magics, Hermione gave Blaise a bit of an introduction, but soon found it unnecessary. As part of his training as a scion of pureblood society, occlumency had been a critical part of his early training. As the evening progressed, everyone became more comfortable with him. They were also appreciative of his subtle deference to Susan, from fetching her an extra drink, to giving her a hand when she rose from the floor. The two of them also traded small looks and it was obvious how much they already cared for each other. At the end of the evening, Hermione brought up something else that had been concerning her.

"Blaise, I've been thinking. I haven't paid attention to where you sit during meals. Are you still with the Slytherins? I haven't seen you with Susan."

"Yes, I usually sit at the end of the Slytherin table near the first years. No one talks to me, so I eat fast and leave. I've been afraid to be seen with Susan. I don't want her to be targeted because of me. I will admit that has become increasingly difficult."

"Alright, well I don't see any reason for you to sit where you're not wanted. You're welcome to sit at Gryffindor with us. I could put you under the protection of House Potter if you wish. Then you could sit with Susan. Draco and his cronies have been more careful with me since we claimed Founders' rights."

"Really Harry? You'd put me under house protection? Why? I have nothing to offer you."

"And there is another part of the old mindset you need to change Blaise. Not everything has to be traded for favors. You can accept an offer strictly out of friendship."

"My lovely wife is correct Blaise. I believe we have started a friendship tonight. You are obviously important to Susan and she is already under my protection, so this will be an extension of that. If you wish of course."

"Thank you Harry, I will happily accept the protection. I can swear an oath of fealty to you. It's a bit old-fashioned, but it's the oath that knights used to swear to their lord and liege. It doesn't hold the power of a house alliance, but I can bind myself to your house as an individual."

"Blaise dear, do you think you should do something public?"

"Hmm, yes, I think Susan is right. How about I swear the fealty oath at breakfast in the morning?"

Harry did a quick mental conference with Hermione, who readily agreed.

"Alright Blaise, I can agree to that. I personally don't need it, but I suppose it's necessary. Won't that divulge the fact that you don't swear under the name of Zabini?"

"Yes, but I honestly don't think that secret will last much longer. I will swear as Blaise No Name, although in times of yore a fealty oath would never have been accepted from someone without a name."

"Whatever. I've decided we need to start changing things. This is just another step. Now, until we get you under house protection, I'm going to ask Dobby to pop you back to your room directly. We'll walk to breakfast together in the morning. Everyone, are you in this as well?"

"Aye Harry, we'll go in united as allies."

Everyone said goodnight and Harry called Dobby to get Blaise while everyone else filed out. That night sleep was elusive as Harry and Hermione lay in bed, discussing their newest soon to be ally. The next morning they were awake early and dressed carefully, finalizing their uniforms with their House Potter dress robes. Harry included the cuff links and clasp that he'd received for Christmas. Even he had to admit he looked quite important and put together. Hermione agreed whole-heartedly and snogged him for a good minute before she reluctantly realized they needed to leave. When they stepped out of the apartment, their five allies were waiting. They walked to the dungeons and found the tapestry that Susan indicated. She pulled it aside and tapped lightly. Blaise appeared a moment later and said good morning before accepting a fortifying kiss from his girlfriend. The group formed up with Harry and Hermione in the lead, followed by Neville with Ginny at his side, as House Longbottom was second to House Potter in stature. Next came Ron with Luna, and finally Susan walked hand-in-hand with Blaise.

When they reached the Great Hall, Harry rubbed his signet and took Hermione's hand. They strode into the hall and the magic that swirled around them quieted the tables as the eight of them made their way to the front of the hall. Harry gave a brief nod to the headmaster, who seemed curious, but gave a bare nod back. Then Harry turned and cast the sonorous charm on himself and Blaise. Hermione stood by his side, while the others stood slightly off to each side, forming aisles, as Blaise stood, facing Harry as he began the pronouncement. When they saw that something significant was occurring, Fred and George quickly joined the group and stood in the two aisles of allies before Harry.

"Attention to all citizens of the realm! I, Lord Harry James Potter, of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, stand here now to accept an oath of fealty. Come now and witness!"

Neville was familiar with the old rite and spoke up immediately.

"I hereby do witness!"

Neville looked at the others, who took the hint and also made the same pronouncement. Once the hall was quite again, Harry continued.

"Who comes before me to offer the oath of fealty? State your name and purpose."

Blaise had been standing, but dropped to one knee with head bowed as his voice magically projected through the hall.

"My lord, I, Blaise No Name, do come to offer you an oath of fealty. My purpose is to serve my lord as he would deem fit of me and my abilities."

Harry stepped forward and placed a hand on Blaise's shoulder as his eyes looked around the hall, briefly pausing on the Slytherin table.

"I accept your oath of fealty, Blaise No Name. Come now and swear oath to your lord."

Blaise stood and raised his wand as he began an incantation even older than the fealty rite.

"I, Blaise No Name, do hereby swear on my magic and my life to be true to my lord, Lord Harry James Potter, in all matters of house and honor. Let my life be his as my lord rules and let my life be taken if I should betray him."

Blaise then took his wand and sliced his palm. As he set his wand in the palm of his hand over the blood, Harry placed his hand over the wand. Blaise then looked in Harry's eyes and finished the oath.

"So mote it be!"

A brief light flashed over their hands as the ancient wizard's oath took hold. Harry had been a bit surprised at the particular oath that Blaise had chosen. It was something he had read briefly, but it was quite old and hadn't been used in at least a century. It was also one of the strictest individual oaths possible. Any doubt he had was erased. Blaise was an individual ally to House Potter now, bound as tight as the house alliance oaths. As the oath finished, Harry nodded at his friend and Blaise stepped to Susan's side, where she cast a healing charm on his palm as Harry addressed the hall.

"All of you here now have witnessed the oath of fealty. Let it be known that Blaise No Name is allied to House Potter and is under the protection of my house. Any person who places a threat on the allies of House Potter will be declared an enemy of the house and I will seek recompense. So say I, Lord Harry James Potter!"

Harry said the last as he rubbed his signet and let a wave of house magic pour out of him and around the hall. He glared at the Slytherin table and saw quite a few looks of displeasure, as well as a couple very pale faces. Satisfied, he cancelled the sonorous charm, turned and nodded to Dumbledore once again and then proceeded back to the Gryffindor table, with all his allies following. His housemates shuffled quickly to make room and all of the allies sat to eat among the Gryffindors. The hush in the hall eventually turned normal as the usual breakfast conversations began. Glad to be done with the show, Harry heartily dug into breakfast.

Later that day, when Harry arrived in Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall smirked and shook her head at him. Harry just smiled back and shrugged. The following day, the headline on the Daily Prophet declared the double news that the Zabini heir no longer carried the house name and that he had sworn fealty to House Potter. Blaise took it in stride, happy that the secrets were done and pleased that he now had truer friends than those in Slytherin house had ever been.


	18. French Connections

**I'm back! After a nearly three month hiatus, I continue this story. In the interim I completed _A Rainbow Dream_. It has 64 chapters posted as of now and will be 70 by the time I finish posting. I never dreamed it would go so long and I appreciate your patience with waiting on _Harmony Bound_ while my muse led elsewhere. Although it hasn't been very popular (not sure why), _A Rainbow Dream_ has been my passion and the muse has stuck with me. I can't believe that it tops out at 382k words and I've written 350k of those in three months. Anyway, now that the rainbow muse is satisfied, I plan on updating this story at least every two weeks. In between I also plan on catching up with _Life's Interlude._**

 **Today also marks a big day for me as a writer. Exactly one year ago, I published my first fanfiction. Although the story was alright, the formatting and dialogue needed a lot of improvement. I've come a long way in that year, over 1.2 million words (all stories added up) long, and I've learned so much along the way. Thank you to all my readers and reviewers for your support!**

o-o-o-o-o

Chapter 18 – French Connections

The rest of the month of January dragged on slowly as the Potters and their friends focused on their studies for school, as well as additional research into the horcruxes. The Prophet held little news that could give a clue about what Voldemort and his followers were up to. It appeared that the harsh winter was keeping them indoors as much as the students.

Despite Hermione's best efforts with all the reference material she was given, she was no closer to finding an answer to the horcrux problem. Luna also seemed frustrated when her father reported that the family archives didn't have any information on soul magic. Harry was feeling a bit down about the efforts as a whole when he was summoned to the headmaster's office one day. Hermione had been studying with him and decided to come along as well. When they reached the office, they were surprised to find that Dumbledore was not alone. Sitting across from him was Bill Weasley. As soon as they entered, Bill turned and stood up to greet them. The look on his face was hard to read, it was serious but tinged with something else.

"Harry, Hermione, I have some potential news for you on the hunt for horcrux knowledge. I know Albus is curious as well. Will you consent to his presence while we talk?"

"Sure Bill. Restricting information has only caused issues for us in the past."

Dumbledore gave the faintest nod as he recognized the subtle jibe at himself. Bill nodded and took his seat as Harry and Hermione took two chairs for themselves.

"Alright, I received permission for personal research within the goblin archives. My senior was curious as to why, but when I mentioned it was House Potter business, he allowed it without further explanation. The goblins hold your family in deep regard Harry. I can't tell you how unusual this is. Anyway, the archives are massive and I've been busy for the past couple months using whatever time I have to search them. Thankfully, they're well categorized or it would take me years. A couple days ago I came across a small reference to a soul magic device used by a sorcerer 827 years ago. It wasn't called a horcrux specifically, but I believe from the descriptions that it was much the same. This text I found the reference in is written in an ancient dialect of the goblin language. I daresay I am one of only a handful who can read it, and probably the only wizard. As part of my work in the vaults of Egypt, goblin based languages became my specialty. Anyway, I digress. The reference noted that the sorcerer and his soul magic were defeated with the 'singular abilities of the matriarch of the veela'. That's all it says. I know it's not much, but I've been thinking over the past couple days and have an idea."

Bill stopped and sipped a glass of water that had appeared at his elbow and then continued.

"Harry, you remember Fleur Delacour from the tournament I'm sure. As you are probably aware, she is one quarter veela. Her grandmother is full veela. Well, Fleur is working at Gringotts and I have been tutoring her on English. Over the past few months we've grown quite...close. I think it may be helpful to pursue the veela connection and I think Fleur and her family would be a good start. The veela are mysterious creatures of unique magic who guard their secrets closely. Perhaps having a family member who can intercede for you will help. I am aware that it would mean bringing Fleur and her family into your confidence. I have met Jean-Louis and Appoline Delacour and they are fine people. Jean-Louis is the director of the Bureau de Magie's International Cooperation department. They could potentially be excellent allies in France."

Harry took a minute to ponder everything Bill had told him and heard Hermione's musings overlaid with his own thoughts. He supposed that pursuing any direction was necessary. This was the first lead they had outside Dumbledore's research. It couldn't hurt to talk to the Delacours and see what he thought of them. Hermione seemed to think similar, a cautious but friendly approach. He was about to speak when Dumbledore cleared his throat and added another thought.

"Harry, I would strongly urge you to consider this. Having friends in France could be quite helpful for any upcoming battle. During the first war, Voldemort gathered soldiers from several countries on the continent. Also, the giants that came to his side came from a colony in the south of France."

Harry nodded and then turned back to Bill.

"Bill, first thank you for the time you've spent researching. I think I want to at least meet with the Delacours. Can you arrange that?"

"Sure, that shouldn't be a problem. I'll send you a note when it's set."

The Potters talked with the headmaster and Bill for a couple more minutes and then thanked them both before leaving to return to their apartment. The following morning, an owl arrived with a brief note:

 _Lord Potter,_

 _All is arranged. Meet Saturday at 11, Gringotts._

 _-WW_

The initials caught Harry for a minute, but then he realized that Bill would of course be William. Combined with the vague note, even if the owl was intercepted, it wouldn't mean much to anyone else. Anyway, they had their appointment with the Delacours and Harry briefly wondered what Fleur's parents would be like.

The rest of the week passed by quickly as the allies struggled to keep up with their coursework and continue their extra defense practice. Professor Lupin's class was unsurprisingly one of their best and they were learning the practical side to defensive magic. It wasn't all about shields and curses. You also had to be fit and alert, ready to dodge and block if necessary. The brief exercises that they had time for in class were expanded on during their extra studies. In addition, he and Hermione decided to take up running to build their stamina. When the snow drifts grew to high for even melting charms, they devised a route through the castle that equated to five kilometers and could be done in circuits. Their usual study group joined them each morning, although Ron was none too happy about it. Only Luna's insistence and her surprising muggle running uniform made him decide that the exercises weren't all bad. Fred and George took to joining them, although they preferred to continue the rest of their studies with their classmates, including their girlfriends Angie and Katie. Harry once tried to figure out which girl was dating which twin. He thought Angie was dating Fred and Katie was dating George, but then he could have sworn he saw Angie and George together in a side alcove. Maybe he was mistaken. Or maybe not. The twins said they shared everything. That brought to mind an image he didn't want of his four teammates which he quickly tried to banish.

Saturday arrived and the Potters spent their usual lazy Saturday morning by themselves in their apartment before proceeding to floo to Gringotts shortly before eleven. When they arrived, Bill was waiting. He was dressed in his best robes and nodded when he saw that they both wore their official House Potter robes. He stepped over as soon as they arrived.

"Thanks for being prompt. I have a portkey that leaves in four minutes for France. Taking a floo that far isn't recommended and we don't want to drop out of the wrong fireplace. We'll be having lunch with the Delacours and you'll have a chance to talk and get to know them. Fleur is there already, her sister's birthday was yesterday."

Harry nodded and they chatted idly about classes and OWL year. When the portkey began to glow, they all reached for it and were soon whirling away to France. They landed a couple minutes later in an impressive foyer of what must have been a castle. The entire room was lined in marble with elaborate columns and expensive art on the walls. A house elf in a miniature suit with a crest on the lapel greeted them and gestured for them to follow. The elf led them down a long hall lined with more art and then turned left as they entered what appeared to be a large parlor. The room was decorated tastefully in blues and creams and, while all the furniture and artwork looked quite expensive, the overall feel of the room was warm and welcoming. As they entered, a man stood and stepped forward to greet them. Before he could, a small blond missile tackled Harry and began to barrage him with rapid French. Hermione was trying not to laugh at her flustered husband, who was trying to pry the girl off long enough to say hello.

 _Well, it looks like Gabrielle hasn't forgotten her rescuer._

 _Apparently._

Harry was saved when Jean-Louis stepped forward and admonished his daughter in barely accented English.

"Gabrielle! Let the man breathe. And where did your manners go? Flying out the window?"

"Pardon papa…"

With her father staring at her, the young girl realized her error and switched to halting English.

"Apologies Lord Potter. It is good to see you well."

"It's good to see you Gabrielle, and happy birthday a day late."

Harry then turned to the girl's father, who held his hand out. Harry accepted the handshake readily. Jean-Louis Delacour was a large man, built in a manner that suggested he once played a sport. His light brown hair was tinged with grey and his blue eyes sparked with intelligence as he sized up the young lord.

"May I extend a more formal welcome to you and your lady Lord Potter. I am Jean-Louis Delacour and welcome to Chateau Delacour. May I present my wife, Apolline…"

A stunningly beautiful woman who looked like a slightly older version of Fleur stepped forward and greeted them both.

"And, of course you are acquainted with our daughters, Fleur and Gabrielle…"

Fleur stepped forward to lightly peck them each on a cheek and welcome them. Gabrielle had calmed and gave a formal welcome with a brief curtsy. Jean-Louis gestured to the nearby seating area and they all went to find seats. Apolline informed them that lunch would be ready shortly. In the meantime, they talked casually about their studies and Harry's recent foray into politics and securing Sirius' release. Jean-Louis had some interesting insights on the working of the Wizengamot and it was obvious that he was an astute politician. Of course, to reach his position at the Bureau, he would have to be. When an elf popped in to inform them that lunch was ready, Harry rose and took Hermione's hand as they followed their hosts. As they walked, he conferred with his wife.

 _So far my feelings are good. They're obviously wealthy, but they don't put up a front like a lot of English purebloods._

 _I agree dear. I like the fact that they don't seem to be poking around for personal information. They're quite welcoming._

They reached the large, formal dining room and were soon enjoying an elaborate French lunch that was served in three courses. As the talk continued, the Delacours talked about some of their hereditary family businesses and Hermione managed to direct the conversation to their business dealings during the last war. The Delacours were an old family with a lot of small to controlling interests in a number of businesses. One of their specialties though was dealing in unusual gems and minerals used for runic configurations, which intrigued Hermione greatly. It soon became apparent that the last war hadn't left France untouched, as Apolline discussed the downfall of a couple prominent families. Her disgust was obvious as she felt they had brought it on themselves. As dessert finished, Harry felt comfortable enough to cautiously broach a bit of the subject that had brought them to the Delacour home. He set his napkin aside and focused on Jean-Louis.

"That was delicious Jean-Louis, merci beaucoup. Now, I know you are wondering the reason why I am here. I'm sure you suspect it has something to do with my report of the Dark Lord's return and you are correct. I come for a couple reasons. First, I wish to forge friendships here on the continent for the sake of sharing intelligence. My second reason is more complicated. I need certain knowledge that I believe the veela can assist me with. Before I tell you more, I need to know if the veela would even consider helping me?"

This last question was directed at Apolline as Harry's gaze switched to her. She seemed momentarily surprised and then took a moment as her eyes bore into Harry. He didn't feel her pushing at his blocks, but there was something else in that gaze. It must have been something in the veela magic. He felt as if he was being assessed. After a moment, Apolline gave a tentative nod.

"Lord Potter, the sisterhood may indeed help you if it means the end of the Dark Lord. His rise to power again threatens us much like it did last time. We will never bow to any man and, during the first war, the Dark Lord captured a couple of veela, hoping to harness their power. He tried to ransom them in exchange for the support of the sisterhood for his plans. When the support was refused, those that were captured were…used…and then disposed of. His return has been a concern since you reported what happened at the end of the tournament. Your Ministry may not believe, but the sisterhood felt the shift in the power of the winds, an ill omen for all."

"Madam Delacour, I assure you that the information I seek will be pivotal to the Dark Lord's downfall. There is a good chance that he may only be able to be killed with the help and knowledge of the veela. I can't say more to any not aligned with my house and cause. Would you be able to speak on my behalf to your sisterhood?"

"Possibly. My sisters are wary of outsiders, especially foreign wizards for obvious reasons. It would be helpful if I could give them more details."

Apolline traded a look with her husband and Jean-Louis gave a slight nod and then turned back to Harry.

"Lord Potter, I believe it is time to speak clearly among friends, which I believe I can count you as. The Delacours have always stood in the light and I have been assisting with certain efforts within the Bureau to aid our colleagues at the Ministry with recent information requests. They may not be willing to acknowledge what is coming, but I have heard enough in discreet rumors and whisperings to lend credence to what you say. And, with the Dark Lord's return, the path of this family is certain. My wife and her people would be brought under the dominion of the Death Eaters if they regain control and I cannot allow that. Not to mention the impact on the general populace of magical France. I am aware that several houses have sought alliances with you recently. If you were to offer, I would accept an alliance for House Delacour, provided that we are in agreement to not be called to arms or to be asked to work against the good of France."

Harry pondered briefly as his eyes locked on Jean-Louis. He believed the man in a way deep down that he couldn't describe, but he thought might be called instinct by some. There was some risk here, but he thought it was minimal. Certainly he had risked more in the past. He touched Hermione briefly for her opinion.

 _I agree my love. Everything I have read on the Delacours has been for the side of the light. They have a long history in this country. Almost as long as the Potters in England._

With Hermione's agreement, Harry made up his mind and smiled slightly.

"Alright Jean-Louis, I can agree to that. Shall we?"

Harry drew his wand and held it in his palm, as did Jean-Louis.

"I, Harry James Potter do hereby offer a formal alliance between House Delacour and the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. This alliance shall be for the support of each house against the dark forces that are currently gaining power, but shall not include a call to arms or any request that shall bring harm to France. What say you?"

"I, Jean-Louis David Alain Delacour, do hereby accept an alliance between House Delacour and the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter with the terms as outlined by Lord Potter. So mote it be."

With the usual flash of light, House Potter completed another alliance and Harry allowed his grin to widen.

"Thank you Jean-Louis. Now I may speak in greater detail about what we face. Do you wish for your family to be present during this difficult discussion?"

Jean-Louis turned to his wife and daughters and his gaze settled on Gabrielle.

"Gabrielle, please go to your rooms. You are not of age and these should not be your concerns. Neese, please accompany my daughter and remain with her in her rooms until I summon her again." (French)

Gabrielle looked quite upset, but Jean-Louis quieted her complaint quickly and she and the house elf left the room. Once they had a few moments to be well gone, Jean-Louis turned back to Harry and nodded. Harry took a deep breath and drew strength from Hermione's hand in his as he began to tell of the prophecy and the horcruxes, ending with the one that was lodged in his scar. Then he told of the results of Bill's research. As he continued, the Delacours all grew more pale and Apolline's mouth drew into a tight line. Once he finished, it was she that spoke first.

"Alright Lord Potter, your need is obvious and I can understand that time is essential. I will travel to my sisters in the morning and speak with the matriarch. It will be up to her to determine if we can help. I ask your leave that I speak of all this using the veela bond that will prevent my sisters from speaking of it outside of our home."

"You have my leave to speak as you need with your sisters Apolline. Thank you for the quick attention to the matter."

"And, while my wife contacts her sisters, you can be assured that I will be listening for any news that might come from the continent that could give a clue as to the whereabouts of any of these other horrid devices."

"Thank you all. I hope that we can find answers and put an end to Voldemort permanently very soon."

The Potters and Delacours talked for a few more minutes and then Jean-Louis called an elf and had Gabrielle brought back. She wasn't happy, but a glare from her father quickly quelled her. Harry, Hermione and Bill said their goodbyes and took hold of their portkey. Bill gave Fleur a quick kiss and she promised to be back the next day. Then Bill activated the portkey and they were soon back at Gringotts. From there the Potters floo'd to Hogwarts. When they arrived in the headmaster's office, Dumbledore was out and they made their way back to their apartment to collect their books before going to find their friends. Later that evening, Harry sent Hedwig on a route south through Britain to each of his allies to deliver notes with the news of the new alliance. He sealed each with his signet, barring any but the addressee to open the letters.

The next day, while the Potters were busy with more mundane tasks at school, Apolline Delacour said goodbye to her family and floo'd across the country to a small inn in Tournemire in the Cantal region of the Auvergne mountains. From there she waited an hour and caught a local bus up to Le Fau, the closest human village to her destination. Her looks would normally cause heads to turn, but she turned her allure so that it repelled instead of attracted and, combined with a notice-me-not charm, any who had seen her traveling would have been troubled to remember her. She was dressed in cold weather hiker's clothes, looking much like many others who ventured to the region. It would have been faster if she could have apparated at least part of the way, but the veela magic never worked well with apparition and her few attempts when she was younger had all caused splinching. When Fleur had successfully managed to qualify it was only for short distances, but her mother was quite proud of the accomplishment and thought that her diluted veela blood might be the reason. She pondered all this while the bus wound up the mountain to the small village that served as a base for more robust and adventuresome travelers in the mountains.

Upon reaching Le Fau, she carried only a small backpack as she walked up the road out of town. Three kilometers along she left the road in favor of a trail. Another five kilometers saw her take a different trail around a mountain peak. Finally, another four kilometers brought her to the edge of the valley that had been the home of her sisters for a millennia. The trail she had been on had disappeared a couple kilometers before and the charms in the area were meant to repel anyone not of veela blood. Now that she was within sight of the valley, and knowing that any errant hikers would have been left far behind, she transformed into her avian form and flew the additional twelve kilometers quickly down into the valley. As she flew, she breathed the crisp air and looked down on the land that had nurtured her until she had chosen to leave for the city. She had always intended to return, but then she had met Jean-Louis, a singularly incredible wizard who saw her as more than a plaything. His love caused her to forsake her return. Still, whenever she came back, her heart twinged at the sight of her home. She would never leave Jean-Louis, but she missed this place. Her sisterhood had settled here when the first bands of veela spread across Europe. The valley was narrow, with a gentle stream that irrigated the farmlands on the valley floor. The sisters didn't reside in the valley though. Instead they resided in the caves that riddled the steep mountains on three sides. She flew toward the largest of the caves on the west side where the morning sun would warm the matriarch's den. As she landed, she prepared herself for seeing the matriarch for the first time in six years.

Apolline's trip took almost a full day of travel and she had warned Harry that the matriarch may take a while to make her decision, so he refocused on his lessons and the upcoming Gryffindor-Hufflepuff Quidditch match. Hermione continued her own research with Harry helping as he could. As the days passed without word, they tried not to grow anxious. For a time Voldemort and his followers were remaining quiet. That was a bit disturbing, but it would hopefully give them time to find at least one answer to several questions. They talked to Dumbledore regularly and he was cautiously optimistic about the potential veela assistance. In the interim, his focus had been on the ring that he had found and how to destroy it. Along with being a horcrux, it had some additional nasty curse work that made even handling it troublesome. Dumbledore had never actually laid hands on it and now had to figure out how to destroy it. Basilisk venom was a proven method and he had been down to find what was left of the basilisk. Amazingly, it hadn't started to decompose yet and he collected the fangs. The problem though was how to use them on a small and solid object like a ring. Where would you plunge the fang into? When Harry destroyed the diary it was an easy thing, just leather and paper. Using the fang on metal was something else entirely. He and Harry had discussed this before the holiday and a couple of times since, but the answer had yet to be found.

Eight days after visiting France, the Potters were summoned back to the headmaster's office and were hopeful to see Bill or one of the Delacours. Instead, when they entered they were met by Charlie Weasley. He rose and greeted them and Harry could tell he was bursting with news. Dumbledore offered to leave, but Harry thought it would be best if he stayed. Dumbledore nodded and they all sat to hear what had brought Charlie all the way from Romania.

"Harry, I found something that I think will help with the horcruxes. At least with destroying the inanimate ones. I've been checking in with the headmaster and he indicated that is one of the key concerns. We know about basilisk venom and fiendfyre, but of course fiendfyre is ridiculously dangerous and would also set off alarms at the Ministry. I believe I found another way. In the library vaults at the reserve I found a text written in Occitan. I obviously don't speak the old language, but I took note of the title, along with some others in more obscure languages. I asked around and one of the reserve's healers' grandmother is Swiss and specializes in some of the ancient romance languages. I sent the title to her and she translated it as 'Blackest of Black, Magic of the Soul'. Well, obviously when I got that translation of the title, I was excited, but it doesn't help me to read the rest of the book. I actually found this before the holiday and have been working on the problem ever since. After much discussion with the chief of the reserve, I received permission to bring Miya's grandmother to view the book. We had to have her vow on her magic to never use or speak of what she learned. The chief even made it a blood vow. Rather ironic, but I understand his reasons. The old lady's name is Erna and she was quite upset at the required blood vow. She took a couple weeks to think on it, but when I told her it could be important to destroying Voldemort, she conceded. Anyway, she was at the reserve all day yesterday working with me to go over the book. I asked for anything about soul splitting, containers, that sort of thing. I know this is borderline telling her about the horcruxes, but with the blood vow I felt comfortable enough and thought it was important. Anyway, it was all worth it in the end. There is a reference to a sorcerer in the second century who made something similar to a horcrux and it was destroyed by a dragon. Apparently if a dragon breathes a certain type of magical, very hot fire on the object, it will rend the soul loose. To achieve this type of fire, the dragon must chew reticulated massiopyte, particularly found among the Sayan. A bit of geographical research led me to find that the Sayan people originate from the mountainous region of the same name in southern Russia on the border of Mongolia. Following the general directions in the text, I believe the stone comes from the Ergaki region of the range. I've never heard of the stone before and I'm sure it will be difficult to locate, but it may be worth it."

Harry blew out a long breath and thought for a moment, feeling Hermione's thoughts churning as well. It was a great lead, but of course every lead led to a longer path. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised after everything that had happened.

"Wow Charlie, that's an amazing bit of research and a fantastic lead. I'm not thrilled that Erna had to be told as much as she did, but I do understand and it sounds like the vow will protect us. What did she think at the end? I should get her contact information from you to send her a thank you."

"Erna was upset about it all, but understood it was important. She briefly considered asking to be obliviated, but didn't want any of her languages erased. I am certain that she is hoping now to put it behind her and try to forget. As for a thank you, that won't be necessary. I paid her 300 galleons for a consulting fee. She's actually a renowned language specialist and quite sought after."

"I understand. The cost is the least of our concerns, but I will see to it that the money gets back to you. I guess our next task is to locate some of this strange rock. If we do locate some, how much do you think would be needed? I have no idea how much rock a dragon chews to create flame. And will your chief at the reserve allow us to use a dragon for this? Does the type of dragon matter?"

"And now we reach the part where I can be of more help. Once we have the rock, I can help with the dragon. Usually a dragon can produce a small amount of flame with their normal stomach acids. For a more prolonged flame, we use a combustible stone that they chew into a gravel that dissolves in the stomach acid and gives a steady and hot burn over time. For a standard two minute burn, I would estimate five to six kilos. As for the chief, I can arrange an 'experiment' and he won't need additional details. We practice burns regularly with the dragons so we are familiar with their capabilities. As for the type of dragon, I think the best would be a Ukrainian Ironbelly. They flame the hottest. We have two at the reserve. Nasty buggers, but quite impressive at flaming."

"Alright, so the dragon is covered. That leaves us with finding the rock."

Harry was pondering when he heard Hermione mutter mentally in the background.

 _Love, speak up if you have any ideas. Anything will help right now._

Hermione gave a brief nod to indicate that she understood as she looked up at the three men looking toward her.

"I was just remembering the conversation we had with the Delacours last week. Remember that one of their main businesses is specializing in unusual gems and minerals for runes? Well, stone isn't that different. Maybe they would have a lead."

Harry lit up and reached to kiss his wife. He wanted more than a quick peck, but she pushed him back.

 _Dear, we have an audience._

 _Damn, alright. Back to business._

Grinning at his brilliant wife, Harry looked at Dumbledore.

"Headmaster, it seems that I need to make an emergency call to Jean-Louis. It should be about quarter past six, so hopefully he'll be home."

Dumbledore nodded at his floo and Harry got up and went to make the floo call. The first being who appeared was an elf. Recognizing Lord Potter, he popped away to find the master of the house. Harry barely waited thirty seconds before the elf popped back with Jean-Louis in tow.

"Hello Harry. This is a surprise. Hopefully no bad news?"

"Thankfully no. I have a business request for you. I am hoping your gem business can help to locate a type of rare rock. I can't give details from here, but I need thirty to forty kilos of reticulated massiopyte from the Ergaki range of the Sayan mountains of southern Russia. Ever heard of it?"

"Well that's curious, and no, I haven't heard of it. I have contacts in Russia who might be able to help. No one in that area, but we can try. Can you get me a spelling?"

Harry pulled his head out of the fire and asked Charlie for the spelling of the rock and the mountains where the rock supposedly originated. Dumbledore produced a piece of parchment and Charlie scribbled quickly. Harry returned to the fire and sent the parchment through. Jean-Louis grabbed it and looked briefly, scratching his chin.

"Alright Harry, let me make some calls. It may take a while. I look forward to when we can talk in person and I can find out what this is about."

"Thanks Jean-Louis. By the way, any word from Apolline? Is she safe?"

"No word yet. I'm sure she's safe. Her visits home can take a while. Veela sisterhood business that I've learned not to pry about. We'll be in touch."

Harry thanked his friend again and left the fire. He returned to Hermione's side as Charlie stood to leave.

"Well, I have to be going. I'm headed home for dinner as long as I'm in country. My portkey will take me back to the reserve in the morning. At least it seems we are making some progress."

After Charlie left, Harry and Hermione said goodnight to the headmaster and returned to their apartment. They sat and discussed the events of the last week for a few minutes and each were cautiously hopeful that their French connections would yield assistance in both endeavors.

o-o-o-o-o

 **I don't like a lot of author's notes, but I have to give credit for the rock chewing dragons to Anne McCaffrey and her Pern series. She was a master who will always hold several reserved shelves in my library for her incredible works.**


	19. Training and Planning

Chapter 19 – Training and Planning

With the two possible leads being handled by the Delacours, Harry and Hermione refocused on their schoolwork and extra defensive studies with the House Potter allies. Professor Lupin pushed all his classes, but the fifth year OWL class was especially focused. For a couple of days out of the month he was of course unavailable. The day before a full moon he was too irritable to be around anyone and then the day after he needed time to recover his strength. When these days fell during the week, Auror Tonks was authorized to substitute. Usually she set aside curriculum and focused on dueling drills. The full moon in January fell at the beginning of the month and DADA on Thursday was led by Tonks. One time someone had called her Professor Tonks and that person was quickly set right. There was already one Professor Tonks in the castle and that was more than enough for Dora. The class focused on dueling as expected and Harry was paired against Tonks and was proud when he managed to almost settle at a draw against a trained Auror. As the dueling rounds wrapped up and Tonks finished with her usual review of methods, Harry had an idea. Hermione agreed with him completely and they stayed after to talk to Tonks. As everyone else filed out and she saw them staying behind, she got a cautious look.

"Alright you two, what are you brewing up in that merged mind of yours?"

"Well, we were thinking about how vital these dueling lessons are and the fact that we only get time with you once a month. You probably know that we have a small group of allies that meets once a week usually for extra defense studies. We're doing well, but I think we could benefit from professional guidance. I've also been thinking that twice a week would be best. I know you have your Auror duties of course, but would it be possible for us to hire you to teach our group? We'd try to work the schedule around your assignments."

Tonks seemed to think for a minute and then smiled brilliantly.

"Hmm, that sounds like fun Harry. I'd be willing to give it a go, but I'd have to get Amelia to approve it. Some Aurors take side security details with approval, so I don't think it will be a problem."

"Excellent. Well, when you talk to Amelia, just send us an owl please. I'm not sure what is a reasonable consulting fee. Does 10 galleons* an hour sound fair? We usually go about an hour and a half a night."

Tonks stumbled a bit and shook her head at Harry.

"Ten sounds fine Harry. For the night, I won't be watching a clock. It's quite generous actually. I assume with Founders' rights that you won't need to get Dumbledore's approval?"

"Technically no, but we will inform him. I don't see a problem with letting an Auror who is also a substitute professor come around a bit extra each week."

Tonks nodded and promised to talk to Amelia first thing in the morning. Harry and Hermione then left to hurry on to their next class.

The following evening an owl arrived at the window to the Potter apartment and Harry quickly read the note it brought. Tonks had confirmed with Amelia and her current assignment made her available on Monday and Thursday nights. Thursdays were practice for Quidditch, but that usually only went until dinner and the defensive studies would be after. Tonks advised she would arrive at seven, which would give everyone time for dinner.

Three days later, Harry and Hermione were in their apartment when a knock sounded shortly before seven. It was Tonks and the three of them quickly walked up to the seventh floor, where Harry paced and opened up the Room of Requirement. Hermione had explained about the room as they walked and Tonks let out a low whistle when they entered and she saw a small classroom area in one corner with comfortable seats and then a set of training dummies and a couple dueling rings.

"Merlin's beard! This is bloody fantastic. Everything we need. Although maybe one more ring would be helpful, but we can take turns."

Harry thought for a moment and suddenly another dueling ring appeared. Tonks shook her head and grinned. Then a knock signaled the arrival of the rest of the group. Ron and Luna arrived first, then the twins, Blaise and Susan and finally Neville and Ginny. Tonks looked at the different couples and smirked to see that many of Harry's allies had paired off. She would definitely take advantage of that. Everyone gathered in a loose group in front of her and waited. They were entirely too relaxed and that would have to end.

"What the bloody hell is this? We're not here to lounge for a picnic. Form up!"

Tonks' commanding, shrill tone was obviously not what anyone had been expecting and each stood up a bit taller and snapped their arms to their sides. Still, they were scattered and nowhere close to a line. Tonks shook her head and whipped her wand around as each person was pushed and pulled until they were in a straight line. Another flick of her wand saw Fred's shirt tail roughly tucked in and a flick the other way saw Neville's tie tightened until he almost choked.

"I said form up! That means get your sorry asses in a line and ready for our exercises. Alright, obviously you all need some warm up. First person to give me 100 pushups gets a bit of a break at the end. Last person done gets to do an extra 20. Go!"

Everyone still looked shocked, but quickly dropped as Tonks waved her wand and floating numbers appeared over each person as she watched and began her lesson.

"Alright you sorry lot, I know Remus and Harry have been working on your defensive skills to a degree, but we're turning that degree up. Also, you can't defend yourselves for very long if you don't have fitness and stamina. I'm only going to be here two nights a week, provided other duties don't call me away. I expect you all to keep up your fitness when I'm not here. You may hate it, but just remember what would happen if you defeat one Death Eater and then don't have enough strength left for the four more that come up behind the one you took out. I'd recommend running, but the weather up here is bloody awful, so pushups, sit ups, strength training would work when the snow is…"

Tonks stopped her litany as her words caused the room to change. One corner now offered a set of weight training equipment. Tonks grinned and mentally thanked the magic of the castle.

"Ha! This amazing room agrees with me. It can offer you the equipment you need. Hell, for that matter it probably would give you a running track. No..not right now room. And Blaise is our first to 100 with Harry just behind him. Everyone else keep going. Blaise and Harry, first ring, start dueling. No catching your breath. Death Eaters wouldn't let you and neither will I. Susan, Fred, you take the next ring. George and Neville, you're next. Ginny and Luna, there's a new ring for you, get moving. And Hermione you just beat Ron. Ron keep going for another twenty, Hermione go wait in that last ring until he finishes, the two of you will pair off for now."

Soon Ron finished his extra twenty and almost crawled to the ring where Hermione was waiting. All the pairs were attempting basic dueling, but the exhaustion from the pushups was showing. Tonks went around, growling instructions as shields failed and she quickly revived anyone who was stunned. After ten minutes, she called them all to the side and shook her head. Most of them already looked whipped.

"Alright you sorry lot, this will be how each of our sessions begins. For a couple weeks I'll go easy and not add to your starting 100, but don't expect that to last. You need your stamina to increase and you need to get to a level of focus where you can push physical pain aside and not let it affect your spells. Some of you are already managing this to a degree, but everyone needs improvement. Now, we had a lot of shields failing and most of you are still going with a simple protego. That spell is kiddie stuff. You'll never see a Death Eater use that one. Well, expect for some stupid ones, which there are a few. Anyway, the spell you need is fortis contego. This is orders of magnitude stronger and also takes a lot more focus and power. With practice you'll get to a point where you can hold it subconsciously. For now though, let's see who can get it on the first try. It's nearly invisible, so I'm going to aim shock spells at each of you. If your shield falls, it will hurt, but will pass quickly. No worse than a bit of static discharge. Space yourselves five meters from each other and cast as soon as I give the go."

Tonks then showed everyone the spell and had them begin. Every person in the room did as instructed and tried to cast the shield. A couple attempts fizzled and then each person tried again. Harry felt his shield go up, but it did indeed take a lot of control to hold it. Once everyone had a minute to get shields up, Tonks went down the row casting shock spells. Luna's shield held for a brief moment before a crack indicated that it went down and she yelped and rubbed her arm where Tonks' spell had hit her. Ron and Neville also lost their shields quickly. Susan never managed to get hers established. Fred, George and Blaise all held on through several barrages from the auror before their shields went down. Hermione and Harry unsurprisingly held despite Tonks casting repeated spells back and forth at each of them. They were linked in the bond, each offering support to each other and pouring their magic into each other's shields. After twenty shots each, Tonks desisted.

"Alright, most of you need to work on that. The Potters were the only ones to hold up and that's due to their bond. Still, Harry and Hermione, don't get complacent. Yes, you two are bloody strong combined, but if a group of Death Eaters focused on you together, even your combined strength would have a limit. Now, let's duel again with the new shield. I'm dividing you up differently and I'm keeping Harry and Hermione split."

The rest of the time was spent in rotation as everyone practiced their shield strength. As the time wore down, everyone was ready to drop when Tonks called them all back together.

"Okay everyone, we're almost done. Ten minutes to go. I want fifty jumping jacks, fifty squats and fifty sit ups now. Once you finish that, I'll show you some cool down exercises. Ron, you were the slowest earlier, I want the three sets of fifty and when you get done, I want another five minutes of pushups from you. Blaise, you get five less of each for finishing first earlier."

Several people suppressed groans, while others didn't bother as everyone dropped to the floor to push through the exercises. A couple took breaks in between and Tonks went easy by not reprimanding them. It was just their first day after all. Ron grumbled through everything, but continued on with his extra pushups. Finally their time came to an end and Tonks surveyed the ragged group.

"Alright, that wasn't an entirely bad session. I'll be back on Thursday and expect everyone to be working out and practicing until then. Dismissed."

Everyone stumbled out of the room, with Harry and Hermione waiting until the end. They talked to Tonks for a minute and thanked her, even though they were both in pain, they knew it was needed. They returned to their apartment and enjoyed a long hot shower together. Then, despite their fatigue, they both spent a couple hours on homework.

The next few weeks were spent with much the same routine. Mornings began with Harry and Hermione meeting their friends at the Room of Requirement, which did provide a running track for them and then switched to become a weight room. They all arrived at 6:15 and worked out until 7:30. Then it was showers and breakfast before classes started at 8:30. Everyone grumbled over the time, but only Ron and Susan missed a couple times.

Classes remained insanely busy, with Professor Lupin pushing them hard in DADA, alternating active and passive days. Active days were spent learning spells and shield methods. Passive days were spent learning about some of what they might face in the way of dark creatures. The start of the year also signaled Lupin's beginning coverage of minor undead, including the inferi that Voldemort seemed to favor. Outside of classes, Quidditch practice happened despite the weather, although no matches were scheduled until February. Tonks was at the castle two nights a week for the additional defense practice as planned, with the exception being the third week of the month when she had been unavailable on Monday, busy with Auror duties. She continued their shield work with the fortis spell and also began instruction on conjuring material and items to use as shields, which was infinitely more difficult and draining. She also worked on their offensive spells, and some of what she taught them was borderline dark. They learned advanced cutting spells that could have a minor addition that would add a slight curse to the wound, making it more difficult to be healed quickly. They also learned spells for slowing the enemy, everything from sound bludgeoning spells that would disorient, to a spell that shot sticky webs that wound around an opponent, making movement and casting difficult. Harry called it the Spiderman spell and then had to explain Spiderman to the confused purebloods. The training progressed well and they all knew it was useful, but Harry was still frustrated as no word came from France and Dumbledore didn't have any new horcrux leads.

As the first week of February drew to a close, Harry and Hermione were racing from Potions to Charms after staying a bit late to talk to Professor Tonks. As they skidded around a corner, they almost crashed into a second year. Catching his breath, Harry took the note that the shocked boy offered him and waved his thanks as they continued on, just managing to slide in before Flitwick closed his door. Once the professor started talking, Harry glanced at the brief note:

 _Letter for the Potters waiting in the headmaster's office._

That was intriguing and Harry was left to spend the rest of Charms itching to go retrieve the letter. Only Hermione's mental nudging kept him on task and somewhat focused on the lesson. As soon as Flitwick dismissed them, they immediately made their way to the headmaster's tower. When they arrived, only Fawkes was there to trill a greeting. Harry found a sealed parchment waiting on a small table in the middle of the room, obviously placed to get their attention. While Hermione went to give Fawkes a scratch, Harry began to open the parchment. It had a heavy seal on it though that resisted cracking. Looking closer, Harry saw his name etched into the edge of the seal. As he looked closer, he saw that the seal was the same that he had seen at the Delacour's chateau. Realizing that the parchment was bound to only be opened by himself, Harry took his wand and sliced his thumb slightly. He then pressed the blood to the seal and a small puff of smoke accompanied the seal cracking open. He healed his thumb and then opened the parchment to read what Jean-Louis had sent:

 _Lord Potter,_

 _My wife has returned from her trip to her sisters and has progress to report. In addition, I have located the rock you requested, but need to discuss details further. We would be pleased to have you and Lady Potter join us for dinner on Saturday. A simple floo response will be sufficient. This letter will serve as a portkey for five o'clock your time if you can attend._

 _Regards,_

 _JLDAD_

Hermione turned from the phoenix and smiled, having heard the letter's contents through their bond.

"Fancy dinner in France on Saturday my love?"

Hermione nodded and Harry pulled a small piece of parchment out of his bag. Writing a simple one word response 'yes', followed by his initials, he then went to the floo and sent the note to the Delacours. With that complete, he said goodbye to Fawkes and they made their way to lunch.

That evening was a Thursday and saw the Potters and their allies back in the Room of Requirement for Tonks' second visit of the week. In the month she had been training them, everyone's endurance had increased and even those who were disgruntled with the workouts couldn't deny that it was having an effect on their casting and dueling. She gradually increased pushups and sit ups, as well as the punishment for lagging behind. For the first couple weeks, Hermione had always been one of the last, but she pushed herself with Harry's help and was happy when she managed to stay in the middle of the pack.

On this Thursday, Tonks decided on a full round of dueling, pairing off everyone and then having the winner of each round pair off with another winner. When there was an odd number, she would join in to balance the numbers. She hadn't done this exercise in a couple weeks and it had been a favorite the last time she had tried it. She started with a few spell warmups and then paired everyone off, making sure to split everyone differently. She never paired Harry and Hermione because she honestly didn't think it would be possible for two soul bound individuals to properly duel each other. Harry started off against Neville and found himself challenged more than he would have expected, but Neville had taken the recent training quite seriously and was making great strides. Nine minutes into the duel, Neville was incapacitated.

With the group of ten down by half, Tonks joined in and Harry was paired with Blaise. Everyone else finished dueling and Harry and Blaise were still waging a fierce battle all around the room, causing their friends to put up shields while they watched. Seventeen minutes in, Harry finally took him down, but was feeling the effects. With three people left, Harry, Ginny and Fred, Tonks grabbed Harry and looked at him maliciously. This left Fred to duel his little sister, but his complaints made not a dent in Tonks' decision. The final two duels were both spectacular to watch as the Weasleys used a variety of inventive and funny curses and spells. Fred was quite right that his little sister couldn't pronounce her spells well when she grew an elephant trunk. Unfortunately for him, he didn't realize that she had a couple spells memorized enough that she could cast non-verbal, including her famous bat bogey. He quickly found out that having bats growing out of your nose distracted you from any type of casting. He still tried a few non-verbals as Ginny's shield held while she cancelled her trunk. A few curses later she took down her older brother, but not before he hit stronger than intended with a curse that broke her arm. He was dismayed at what he had done and was ready to head to the infirmary, but then Neville took Ginny in his arms and glared at him. Ginny insisted she could wait and wanted to watch Harry and Tonks.

The duel between Harry and Tonks was at twenty minutes and both were visibly wearing down, but Harry had the advantage that Hermione was pouring some energy into him. Tonks had told him to go for anything but the unforgivables and his early hesitancy was long gone as he threw everything at her. When Tonks sliced him across the chest with a diffindo that just broke through his weakened shield, Hermione felt his pain and couldn't control her rage. That caused her to pour magic into Harry as he sent a massive reducto at her. Tonks' shield took most of the hit, but eventually went down as the rest of the spell hit her and knocked her to the ground, looking dazed. Hermione was immediately distraught, but had eyes only for Harry's blood soaked shirt. Stepping past their instructor, she went to her husband and ripped the mangled shirt off to get a better look at his injury. It wasn't as bad as all the blood made it seem and she cast a healing spell that staunched the worst of it. He would still need some dittany and a check with Madam Pomfrey, but he had endured worse. As he mentally soothed her, she ran her hand down his chest and leaned in for a kiss as their minds and lips locked together. For them there was no one else present as they existed only for each other. Their kissing and fondling became a bit heated before Blaise and Ron physically pulled them apart.

"Oy you two! We don't want that kind of a show. Enough already."

Harry's instincts flared with annoyance at his friend as he rounded on Ron with anger flashing in his eyes. Ron withered a bit, but then Harry noticed everyone smirking at them and he realized that they really had gotten a bit carried away. Then he looked to where George was holding up a pale Tonks and his heart sank. His anger subsided and he stepped over to apologize, but Tonks cut him off before she could.

"No Harry! I told you to give me everything. I should have specified only to give me what you had. And everyone, this is why you should always be careful when fighting soul bonded individuals. Not that you will have to worry, I think these two are the only pair in Britain and maybe the world right now that I know of. Anyway, in the future when we duel, please don't pair up against me."

Hermione blushed and stepped to Harry's side.

"Sorry Tonks, I didn't realize what I was doing at first. I felt Harry's pain and lost control."

"I understand Hermione. That is something the two of you need to work on. Your bond is wonderful, but you need to be able to control it. I know you probably hate to hear this, but there may be a time when you need to block that connection and focus on your own tasks and battles. Now, I think I need a pepper up and Harry and Ginny need Poppy to take a look at them as well. Everyone else dismissed. Keep up your exercises. Next week I've got a couple new spells to put your strength to the test."

Neville insisted on going with Ginny and also put an arm around Tonks for support as Hermione and Harry followed them to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey wasn't pleased to see the results of their latest lessons, but quickly began to set them right. Ginny's broken arm was the worst and would require an overnight stay for the skele-gro to work, but the others were all dismissed before long. Neville looked like he wanted to stay, but the healer glared at him and shooed him out.

After a long shower with his wife and a good night's sleep, Harry was back to new and didn't even look like he would have a new scar thanks to the quick healing he had received. Friday and Saturday seemed to drag forever as he wondered what information would be waiting for them in France, but Hermione as usual kept him focused on his tasks. After a mid-morning Quidditch practice on Saturday, he and Hermione joined everyone in the Gryffindor common room to catch up on their copious homework. Finally, at half past four, they excused themselves to change into House Potter robes and prepare for dinner in France.

At five o'clock, the Potters joined hands and both gripped the letter from Jean-Louis as they made the trip to France in just under three minutes, arriving in the central foyer of the chateau. They were a bit surprised to see both Apolline and Jean-Louis waiting, but recovered their footing and stepped forward to greet their hosts. Jean-Louis greeted them as effusively as ever.

"My Lord and Lady Potter, welcome!"

"Please, can we dismiss the formalities Monsieur Delacour. It's Harry and Hermione."

"Of course, and please, it's Jean-Louis. It is best not to assume though. Now, can you please come to the library, there is much to discuss and that room has some additional wards. Also, Fleur regrets she won't be able to attend. Gabrielle will join us for dinner. She was quite perturbed when I banned her from joining us sooner."

Harry smiled and held back a chuckle as he followed his hosts to the library. As soon as they entered, he noticed that Jean-Louis cut a finger and wiped a bit of blood on the door seal as a palpable warding became evident in the room. Obviously what they needed to discuss was of dire importance and Harry and Hermione were both conflicted. They were concerned, but also excited that perhaps they would finally get some answers. Once everyone was seated, Jean-Louis looked at his wife and nodded for her to begin. Apolline graced them with a slight smile as she took the lead.

"My friends, I returned from visiting my sisters earlier this week and have news for you in regards to the knowledge that you seek. My stay there was longer than usual, as the matriarch had much to consider and the portents had to be read at the time of the moon's rebirth. I am pleased to tell you that she has agreed to assist and there is a way to counter this darkest of magics that has infested on you Harry. The way is not easy, but the matriarch and elders all believe it is quite probable to be a success. To explain further, I will need to tell you a bit more about my people and ask that you never repeat what you are told, even to your allies."

Harry had no problem with the request and felt Hermione's acceptance as well. They each quickly made a vow of secrecy and Apolline smiled in thanks as she began to explain.

"To begin, you need to know more of the veela to better understand our magic. Our origin is shrouded in myths, but the elders tell us that we came to being in the chaos of the forming of the world. We were created as playthings for the gods, who desired human flesh without human weakness. The gods were temperamental and often fought among themselves, so we were also created to be weapons. The origin of our magic came from the gods' fleshly desires and we remain creatures of lust, although we have harnessed our own desires through the past millennia. I am one of a lucky few veela who has found a man who will love me completely for all that I can offer, not just for my sexual gifts. From the time the gods disappeared from the realm of man and left us here, we have been sought as toys and treated poorly. Many of my ancient sisters were killed, but the few who remained joined together in small groups and retreated to hidden enclaves, such as where I grew up. To populate, the sisters would select human men to breed with at the time of the season's turnings. These liaisons are usually temporary and a veela will leave to return to the nest once she is impregnated. Except for the rare few of us who find a love match. Veela all breed females so this is the way it must be. You are aware of the allure, but of course your bond makes Harry immune. Fleur said it caused a few issues at school and she is only one quarter veela. My allure is four fold stronger and my mother's is sixteen fold stronger than my own. If we wished, we could rule men of power, but my sisters prefer to be left alone and bother with men only as is necessary. A veela's magic is strong, but it is rooted in desire and lust. Our magic is what is referred to by outsiders as sex magic, although that is an oversimplification. It is this magic that the matriarch believes may hold the answer you seek."

Apolline paused for a minute to give Harry and Hermione a chance to absorb what she had said. They didn't seem shocked, but were clutching each other's hands. Seeing that they were handling this well, she continued.

"The rite that the matriarch suggests for you is a soul purification. Or that is the closest translation. In ancient times it was used when a sorcerer would capture one of our sisters and enslave her with powerful blood magic. To break such a curse, the ritual was used. The ritual is complex and requires a full seven days preparation before the full moon. Then, at the time of the moon's full power, the matriarch and elders must use their power to attempt to break the soul of the focus. This must be done while the focus is in a joining, weakening them to the matriarch's power as her magic of creation battles the dark magic of destruction. If the focus is strong enough, the soul will not be broken, but any burdens upon it will be shed. The partner for the union does not need to be one of desire, although a veela cannot be included. Still, the ritual does mention that a true partner will hold the soul strong for a longer time. Your soul bond offers a unique component to the ritual that has never been attempted before. The elders believe though that the bond will help to virtually ensure success. You should know that the ritual can be painful. Given your bond, that pain will be for both of you. It is also most tiring on the emotions, as the most powerful of my sisters will be pouring their magic into the focus. This will not be easy, but it should break the dark one's soul piece that you harbor."

Apolline waited again and let her guests think on what they had heard. Hermione's brain was flying around a number of questions and seemed unable to stop, as she was assaulted with thoughts and concerns. Harry mentally comforted her and helped to line up the questions she had. After a couple minutes, Hermione took a deep breath and looked back at Apolline.

"Alright Apolline, this is all a lot to understand. A couple questions. The focus is Harry, correct? And you mentioned a union and a partner? Obviously I would be the partner. By union, do you mean that we need to have sex during the ritual? In front of everyone? What does the seven days of preparation entail? If we decide to do this, where will it happen? What will we need in supplies?"

"Yes Hermione, Harry is the focus with you as his partner. And yes, you will need to have sex in the presence of the matriarch and elders as they pour their power over you. The emotions of desire are crucial to our magic. The preparation phase will consist of separating the two of you and purifying the body and mind with diet, cleansings and exercises. If you decide to pursue this, it will take place in a ritual grove near the home of my sisters. The supplies are basic and we can supply them. There is something else that you should know. I explained to the matriarch that it is believed that the dark lord formed a number of soul containers. She was appalled at the thought and offers another rite that can be included. If the first rite is successful, the broken soul piece should be vulnerable for a period of time before fleeing. The elders should be able to bind that soul piece into another being. While that soul remains bound in another, our sibyl can do a casting and may be able to help locate the additional parts of the soul. The preference for the other being would be to use a pig. Once the casting is done, the pig will be slaughtered and burned and the soul will be gone forever. The matriarch only offered this after a good deal of contemplation. While these rites and rituals are well documented in our history, this particular application of them is unique and there is no guarantee, although the portents are favorable enough that she is willing to offer this."

Harry was shocked and happy at the prospect of a way to locate the other horcruxes. He momentarily felt sorry for the pig, but that thought fled quickly as he remembered the bacon he had eaten that morning. Of course, there were no guarantees. As he thought about the second part of the ritual, a question came to mind.

"That is promising Apolline and tempting to be sure. You mentioned a sibyl. Is that like a seer?"

"Yes, she is an ancient being. Older even that the matriarch. She has seen much happen throughout this world and this new dark lord troubles her more than anything has for several centuries."

Harry nodded and both he and Hermione's thoughts linked as they mentally examined what was being offered.

 _What do you think my love? It sounds dangerous and a bit sketchy, but I favor it over dying to remove this damn soul piece in my head._

 _Well of course it's the better option to that. I suppose the embarrassment about having sex with an audience is something I can get over. I am worried though about what might go wrong. They seem hopeful, but she's not offering a guarantee._

 _Perhaps you should ask._

Hermione gave a mental nod and looked back to Apolline, who waited patiently.

"Alright Apolline, my husband and I are leaning in favor of this, but I have concerns. What happens if this fails?"

"The likelihood is slim, but if the ritual fails, then Harry's soul will be broken. How much is unsure. A piece of his own soul may fracture, causing unknown mental fatigue and possible loss of magic. Or, if the break is greater, there may not be enough soul to maintain his body and he would die. Of course that would be a double tragedy given your bond."

Hermione sat back, rocked by what Apolline had said. This sounded promising, but it could kill Harry. And her as well.

 _Love, my life has been much more in danger in the past. My only hesitation is for you. Still, would you really want to remain bonded to me for eternity if I have to hold onto a bit of Voldemort as an unwanted hitchhiker?_

 _I suppose not. And I know this is a small risk in comparison, but I can't help but be scared. You want to go ahead, don't you?_

 _I think it's the best way. Preferable to dosing me with basilisk venom or casting fiendfyre at my head._

 _Well that's certainly true. Alright, let's go for it. Time for the Gryffindor courage._

Harry smiled at his wife and pulled her close to give her a tender kiss before turning back to his hosts.

"Alright Apolline, while we are of course scared and a bit hesitant, this seems like our best option. Can you arrange this with your sisters? What do we need to do and when will this happen? Also, I'd like to provide a gift for the assistance if that is allowed?"

"Very well. I am glad you chose this. I am quite hopeful. I cannot contact my sisters without traveling to them, so they are assuming we will agree and will be waiting for our arrival. If you had declined, I would have traveled to give word at that time. The next full moon is on March 23rd. Your purification will need to start on the 16th, so we should travel to my sisters on the 15th. While a gift is not necessary, it would not be denied. My sisters produce most of what we need, but there are a few items that require gold for outside purchase. Whatever amount you feel is appropriate would be well received."

Harry nodded and held back a grimace. March 22nd was the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff Quidditch match. Still, a Quidditch game was nothing when compared to ridding himself of Voldemort's soul.

"Okay, we'll be ready on the 26th. I'll let the headmaster know in vague terms why we need the time off. And I'm sure my lovely wife will keep us on task to work ahead before then and then catch up on our studies after. My thanks for your help with this. Let's hope that our concerns are unwarranted."

With their fateful choice made, Jean-Louis moved his chair a bit forward and spoke up.

"Now that your arrangements with my lovely wife are complete, let us discuss the matter you put before me. I have a gems supplier in Krasnoyarsk who has heard of the rare stone you seek. There is a complication though and I needed to discuss the reason for your procurement of the stone before deciding on whether to proceed. Now that our conversation is secure, can you tell me why you want this stone and especially so much of it?"

Harry gave Hermione a mental nod and she explained Charlie's research and the use of the stone for dragon fire fuel to destroy horcruxes. When she finished, Jean-Louis let out a long breath.

"Alright, well then the risk is obviously worth it. To explain the concern, this particular stone is rare and difficult to mine. It is also mildly radioactive. This is not something that magic quantifies, but you both have non-magical backgrounds, so I believe you will understand. Anyone mining it cannot remain in the area for longer than two hours and then must remain away for eight hours. The mined stone then needs to be stored in lead boxes for transport. Finally, the Russian government tracks the sale of any radioactive stone. This particular type doesn't have enough uranium to interest them for their weapons and such, but they still want to ensure it doesn't fall into enemy hands. Now, I have some contacts with the non-magical government that can help us get it out of country once we have it mined. Once I give my contact the order to start mining, he estimates that it will take two weeks to organize a trip and another three weeks for the mining. Then it has to be transported out of country. How quickly it leaves the country will depend on how liberally I tithe to the appropriate officials. I would say six weeks at minimum. I would assume then you would want it to go to Romania?"

Harry shook off his shock at the disclosure as he formed a reply.

"Yes, Romania. Charlie has a cave where it can be stored until we are ready to use it. I should warn him about the radioactivity thought."

"Alright, that's a bit far. At least 5,000 kilometers and probably more by my guess. It would probably be best to get it to Krasnoyarsk and then portkey it. We'll arrange the details with the in country officials. Russia's not the easiest place to do business, but muggles and magicals alike all do better with gold in their pockets."

"Thanks Jean-Louis. I know this will be expensive and I'm willing to cover the costs. How much do you think it will cost?"

Jean-Louis pondered for a moment and ran some mental calculations.

"It's hard to say exactly Harry, but to start I'd say 10,000 galleons. I can cover…"

"No, that's alright. I'll arrange a draft at Gringotts on Monday for you. If it goes over, let me know. It's a small price to pay to destroy parts of Voldemort's soul."

Jean-Louis nodded and promised that the arrangements would begin on Monday. With their business complete, he dissolved the privacy wards on the library and led them out to the dining room. On the way, he sent an elf to fetch Gabrielle. Harry was just pulling out Hermione's seat when the small blonde came barreling into the dining room and hugged him as her mother sighed with exasperation and chastised her in rapid French. Hermione understood a bit of it and smirked as the young girl backed off.

"Pardon Harry. My manners are forgot. It is good to see you. You will visit more now? And Hermione too?"

"It's good to see you as well Gabrielle. How much we visit will be limited by our studies, but I will happily accept any offers to come partake of fine French cuisine."

Jean-Louis chuckled and then told his daughter to sit as Harry took his seat next to Hermione. Dinner was pleasant with casual conversation encompassing current news and events. Harry and Hermione both found it interesting to hear Jean-Louis talk about his struggles at the Bureau. It seemed that the perils of diplomacy were much the same on both sides of the Channel. Dinner took a couple hours and then the Potters excused themselves with many thanks so that they could return to school. Jean-Louis provided them with a portkey and in a couple minutes they were back at school, landing in Dumbledore's office. He was out once again, so they decided to talk to him about their leave later in the month once he returned. They then departed the office to return to their apartment where they spent the rest of the evening relaxing and trying to absorb everything they had learned and the plans that were now in place.


	20. A Veela Cleansing

Chapter 20 – A Veela Cleansing

The next couple of weeks proceeded with boring normality as the Potters schedule of classes, defense training, homework and Quidditch continued. As March dawned and the month continued, more snow melted off and a bit of the chill started to receded, making practices more enjoyable.

The normality was broken on the evening of March 8th when Harry was sitting in the library with most of his friends after dinner. Suddenly his scar was on fire and his head felt like it was being ripped open. Hermione cried out briefly, feeling his pain and all his friends stood around him, shielding him. As Madam Pince came hurrying over to confront them about the noise, a fierce look from both Blaise and Ginny stopped her in her tracks. Harry felt Hermione and tried to put up a shield to block her from the pain. She did the same from her side, but it didn't block everything. She saw flashes of the images that Harry was seeing. The Dark Lord was angry and a man lay on the floor, writhing under the cruciatus. Then the cold voice of Voldemort could be heard.

 _'Rodolphus, you disappoint me. I put that cup in yours and Bella's keeping. Retrieving it should have been simple.'_

Voldemort stopped the curse and the man looked up, blood dribbling from a corner of his mouth.

' _My lord…I...I'm s…orry. I sent m…my nephew, with my signature…authorizing his access of the vault, but…but the goblins refused to recognize the autho…rization since I'm a fugitive.'_

 _'You fool! You shouldn't have trusted those animals with something so valuable. You should have foreseen this. When I take my rightful place, I will rid this world of them! Now, I think you should be taught a lesson. Perhaps that little village you adore so much that fills your childhood memories would be good for some practice.'_

Voldemort began laughing and images invaded Harry's mind of a village that he knew would be the next target. He clung to any detail and Hermione dropped a bit of her barrier, fighting the pain that Harry was feeling and trying to remember everything. Finally, Voldemort's emotions settled and Harry was able to break the connection. He had bitten his lip and blood was dripped down his chin. Hermione wrapped her arms around him while Neville handed him a handkerchief. Harry was weak and hurting, so Hermione took control.

"Ron, we need to go see the headmaster. We'll explain later. Can you please gather our books and take them to the common room. We'll be back in a bit."

Ron nodded and everyone made way as Hermione finished cleaning Harry up and supported him as they hobbled out of the library. His head was still throbbing and she was trying to help him dull the pain. They arrived at the headmaster's office a couple minutes later and the door swung open. Hermione figured the gargoyle must have warned him. Dumbledore took one look at them and stepped forward, looking concerned. Hermione answered before he could ask.

"Headmaster, Harry had another vision. He's gotten quite good at blocking Voldemort, but he's tired and Voldemort was very angry. I saw some of it, but he put up a barrier to protect me. Voldemort had Rodolphus Lestrange under the cruciatus. He was angry that Rodolphus couldn't get a cup from the Lestrange vault. The cup must be very important with how angry he was. Anyway, he's going to take revenge by going after a village. I only saw a flash of it."

Harry nodded and forced himself to sit in an offered chair and tell what he saw.

"…the village…summer…it's a place Lestrange went in summer. He likes it a lot. Voldemort…saw it in his mind. He has to cross water to it…maybe island. Coast with trees and cliffs. I tried to…to see the name. Something B. Wait…black…something Black. The Blacks? Sorry, that's all I have. But he's attacking soon."

Dumbledore's look became fierce as he pulled out a mirror and began talking to someone. It sounded like Kingsley. Then he went to the floo and made a call. Mad-Eye stepped out and conferred with Dumbledore for a minute before crossing over to Harry.

"Harry, I know your head's pounding boy, but I need you to focus. I've studied the files on all the Death Eaters. The Lestranges were allies of the Blacks for centuries. There's an old Black castle and farm called Blackgang on Wight. The area used to be all magical, but muggles took a liking to it for vacations. Is that it?"

"Blackgang? Yes! Island. Please."

"We got it. You rest now boy. Albus, I've got the Order. You update Shack."

Dumbledore pulled out his mirror again and then looked to Hermione. She nodded and took hold of Harry, knowing they had done all they could. She led him to the hospital wing, where Madam Pomfrey healed his lip. She wanted to keep him, but Hermione insisted he would rest easier in their apartment. The healer gave her the pain potion and she took Harry back and tucked him in bed, gave him the pain potion and then curled up next to him until she felt him relax. Once she knew the potion had him well asleep, she left for the Gryffindor common room. Gathering all their Gryffindor friends, that still left Luna, Susan and Blaise. With at least one ally from each of the houses, she resolved that they needed to find a better way to summon everyone. Instead, she only told their Gryffindor friends that Harry's vision was being acted on and that she would update everyone later. She then collected hers and Harry's books and left to return to Harry. She studied for a while, hoping for news, but finally decided to go to bed as the night grew late. She didn't really sleep, but she curled up around Harry and rested some.

Shortly before three in the morning, Hermione was woken by a gentle nudge and turned over to see Dobby.

"Lady Potter, the headmaster has returned. He requests you in his office. Lord Potter as well if he is able."

"Mmhmm, I'm here Dobby. We'll come."

They dressed quickly and then Dobby took hold of them and apparated them directly to the headmaster's office. Dumbledore looked tired and had a patch of salve on his cheek, but otherwise looked alright. Moody was there as well and didn't look any worse than he usually did. Harry and Hermione rushed further into the room, eager for news. They paused and took the seats that Dumbledore gestured to.

"Hello Harry. I thought the two of you would like an update as soon as possible. I'm sorry it took a while, we've been quite busy. How are you feeling?"

"Better. I've rested."

Dumbledore nodded. He could tell they were eager and continued without further delay.

"Very good. Now, I and many others have to thank you for your warning. The Order and a squad of Aurors arrived in Blackgang within minutes of each other. Although we knew the town from the records on the Lestranges, we didn't have many details on the town itself. All appeared well, but then we found a local policeman who was 'persuaded' to let us listen to his radio. Two groups of Death Eaters focused on a group of farms on the edge of town, as well as a local amusement park that was having some kind of party. We split and managed to confront both quickly. A total of approximately sixty Death Eaters were spread between the two locations. Fourteen are now dead. Another nineteen were captured. The others portkeyed away when things started to go badly. It seems this was a simple raid with no clear goal except murder and mayhem. Sixteen muggles were killed, another thirty or so are injured. Two are missing and may have been grabbed and taken when the Death Eaters activated the portkeys. Also, two Aurors were killed. The Order sustained several injuries. Remus was treated and released. Elphias will be in St. Mungo's for a few days. All told, it could have been worse without the warning. I know the vision was horrible for you, but it saved lives tonight."

Harry took a moment to absorb the information. Eighteen dead. Eighteen that he couldn't help.

 _Don't Harry, this is not your fault. Think of what would have happened without the warning. The Isle of Wight is remote enough that a response would have taken a while._

Dumbledore seemed to read the emotions crossing Harry's face and looked at him as Hermione wrapped him in her arms.

"Harry, do not lay any guilt on yourself. Quite the contrary. At the houses, there were around a hundred people who were being attacked. Only two died. At the amusement park, there were nearly five hundred. It could have been much worse."

Harry nodded and thanked the headmaster for the update. Moody gave them a few more specifics on the methods of the attacks and it seemed that the Death Eaters fought much as Tonks had warned them, straightforward, but deadly. Few of them moved and most of them had a set arsenal of spells that they didn't deviate from. Of course, none of Voldemort's inner circle were spotted, but the foot soldiers at least weren't very inventive. Once they were done discussing the events, Harry and Hermione had Dobby pop them back to their apartment. Sleep was elusive for a while, but using their meditation techniques, they eventually drifted off, comforted in each other's arms.

The next morning when all the friends gathered to work out, Harry detailed his vision and what happened after. Then Hermione updated everyone on what the outcome was. While the mood was somber, everyone was glad that Harry's pain at least seemed to have been valuable. Then they all began to run and fell back into a comforting routine.

That evening, as he and Hermione prepared for bed, Harry finally decided to discuss something that had been weighing on his mind. He had tried to block it from Hermione, but pieces had leaked through. She knew that when he was ready, he would talk. She knew how serious he was when he actually vocalized his thoughts.

"Hermione, I've been thinking about my vision and the ritual. I hate carrying around this damn horcrux, but it came in handy. If we're successful at banishing it, then we won't be getting any more warnings."

"No Harry, we _will_ be successful. And I've thought the same thing, but I think if we left the horcrux in place, we grant Voldemort a small victory, even if just for a time. We can't let that bit of him live any longer. Just think, this is one step toward stopping him for good and saving thousands of lives. Yes, others may die before then, but you need to keep the big picture in view."

Harry nodded. He knew she was right, but as the time grew nearer, doubts invaded his thoughts.

The following week was the last leading up to the ritual. Both Harry and Hermione were nervous, but there was nothing else they could do. Defense classes with Tonks continued their gradual escalation as Tonks focused on refinement of skill and speed, emphasizing that the Death Eaters in Blackgang had been anything but speedy. Everyone was eager to learn new and fancier spells, but she insisted that having an entire spellbook wouldn't help without speed and accuracy. She focused on working them to exhaustion and making the spell casting so ingrained that it required little to no conscious thought. Her lesson on March 13th focused on making themselves moving targets, while insisting that each one of the group maintain their own accuracy. Spin, dive, cast, roll, jump, cast, duck, cast and repeat became common as Tonks paced the room, stinging random targets who missed or didn't move fast enough. By the end of the class, Harry was thinking that a week to relax with the veela might be welcome. Then again, he didn't know what the purification ritual entailed. He and Hermione had advised Tonks that they would be gone for the week, with little detail why. She could tell they were serious, and since Harry only said it was 'house business', she didn't press.

The morning of the 15th dawned and Harry and Hermione trained as usual with their friends, then cleaned up and went to breakfast before floo'ing to Gringotts at eight. Once there, they collected a chest of 10,000 galleons that Silverstaff had waiting for them. Once it was shrunk and lightened, they waited for their portkey that whisked them to France at a quarter past the hour. They landed in the foyer of Chateau Delacour and Apolline was waiting.

"Good morning my friends. I am ready to begin our travels, unless you have any additional questions?"

Harry and Hermione both shook their heads and Apolline nodded.

"Very well. Before we begin, I have amulets for you both. The valley where my sisters reside has heavy enchantments to repel all but veela. These will nullify the effect. Now, we have a long day of travel. We will floo, then catch a bus and then we will have a long hike. The mountains are still chilly as spring has not quite bloomed, do you both have jackets?"

Once Apolline was reassured that they were well supplied as they had previously discussed, Harry and Hermione put on the amulets and she led them to the floo. She took them each by a hand as the floo was quite large and they stepped through to the inn in Tournemire. Their arrival was noted by a couple, but a quick notice-me-not charm made them forgettable as they exited the small inn and walked across the village. The bus to Le Fau arrived twenty minutes later and the ride was quiet as they each watched the view and spoke little. The mountain scenery was quite spectacular as the bus gained altitude, climbing the narrow road. When they reached the small village and climbed off the bus, the chill caused everyone to reach for their jackets. Even with thick jumpers, the wind still cut through. They left the village and began the hike up the mountain. It wasn't long before both Harry and Hermione were glad for their regular workouts. Apolline was in excellent shape and handled the thinning mountain air with no trouble, setting a steady pace. They hiked for a couple hours, taking several forks and following her as the trail became virtually invisible. Finally they reached the overlook down into the valley and stopped to take in the view. It was Hermione who commented first.

"Wow. It's beautiful."

"Yes. This is the home of my sisters for a millennia. This enclave was founded as a refuge away from men who would wish to use us. Other tribes of veela have similar places around the world. As you see, on the valley floor are the farms that provide most of the food that we need, as well as pastures for the animals. The buildings you see are all barns or workshops though. My sisters do not live on the valley floor. If you look across, you will see the cliffs that are dotted with caves. That is where my sisters reside. Now, while we can walk down and across, it will take many hours. From this point, we will fly. Do not be alarmed, I am about to transform. I believe you brought brooms with you?"

Harry pulled his shrunken broom out of his bag and cancelled the spell, allowing it to expand to full size. As he did so, Apolline transformed and he and Hermione both stood, staring in awe at the fearsome bird that replaced her lithe form. Then the bird took flight and Harry mounted the broom, steadied it, and then helped Hermione on. She hated brooms, but knew it was necessary now. She clung to Harry as he launched and followed Apolline. They flew for over an hour before finally approaching the cliffs, aiming for a large cave. Apolline landed gracefully and had transformed back by the time they touched down. She turned to them as Harry helped Hermione off the broom.

"Welcome to the home of my sisters. Come, we are due to meet the matriarch who has been awaiting your arrival."

Harry took Hermione's hand as they followed Apolline through the tunnels of the cave that were surprisingly well lit by regularly spaced, glowing baskets. After one turn, they arrived at a pair of bronze doors. Apolline knocked and the doors swung open to reveal a large, vaulted chamber. Although the walls and ceiling were stone, they featured small crystals embedded in the rock. The glow baskets from the halls were larger and suspended from the ceiling, causing the whole space to sparkle. The entire floor was covered in a large rug that at first glance looked Persian, but then they noticed the design was much more intricate. Following Apolline's lead, they left their shoes at the entrance and found slippers in various sizes. After finding ones that fit, she led them across the room to a sunken area. There, an elderly woman with snow white hair and ice blue eyes was waiting for them. She smiled and they instantly felt warm as she reached out her hands in welcome. Harry and Hermione stepped forward and they both felt it was only right to show deference to this lady as they each bowed upon reaching her. She reached and touched them both on the shoulder as her melodic voice resonated through the chamber.

"Come now children, there is no need for formality, although I appreciate the gesture. Welcome to my home, I am Rhea. Welcome home as well my dear Apolline. Now, I know your journey has been long. Let me offer you sustenance and we can talk further."

Harry and Hermione followed Rhea to a low table around which were arranged a number of seating cushions. The center of table had a number of dishes arranged with a variety of fruit, a vegetable soup, bread and cheeses. Apolline joined them as well and their nervousness left them as Rhea set an easygoing tone for the meal as she deftly maneuvered the conversation to learn more about them. She also provided a few details of what to expect over the next few days. They discovered that, as part of the purification, that night would be their last together for a week and then they would be separated. When Rhea mentioned this, they both grew nervous again and Harry had to interject a comment.

"Rhea, we appreciate everything you are doing for us, but is it really necessary that we be separated? We haven't been apart longer than a few hours since our bond settled. In the beginning we couldn't be apart longer than a few minutes without pain and fatigue."

"Hmm, yes, this was suspected and we believe we can counter the effect. Soul bonds are unique, but my people have worked with them before. The two of you are the first soul bonded that I have personally met, but our sibyl and healers are familiar with the issue."

Harry nodded, knowing that he had to accept it. Everything would be worth the cost if he could be rid of the piece of Voldemort's soul. Hermione fed him similar sentiments through their bond as the conversation diverged again.

Once their late lunch was complete, Rhea talked with Apolline for a moment and then excused herself. Apolline guided the Potters through a number of tunnels into another series of caves and led them to a room that had been assigned to them. Although they were in caves, they never felt cold and the use of rugs and textiles made the room feel cozy. Attached to it was a bath with all the necessities, including a steaming bath, a copper pipe that fed cold water into a carved stone basin, and a carved toilet that carried waste somewhere else. Apolline noticed their curiosity and smiled.

"Our sisterhood is quite modern in our conveniences. We are aided in this by the fact that our caves have a natural source of geothermal heat for water and keeping our homes warm. The fresh water is captured rain water fed from cisterns in caves above us. The waste utilizes gravity as well and is funneled to the bottom of the cave system to a series of vats where it is treated with a special mushroom that we cultivate that helps with the breakdown of the waste. The system is quite efficient."

"Well, the room is quite cozy Apolline. We appreciate the hospitality of the sisterhood. I'm glad though that you guided us. I'm afraid I would have gotten lost on my own."

"Of course Hermione. While you are both with us, you will always have an escort. Navigating the caves only comes naturally if you are born here. Also, you will find that some of my younger sisters will be quite curious about you. Outsiders have not seen our valley in nearly half a millennium. There will be a welcoming feast later tonight, then tomorrow the purification rituals will begin. You will be awakened at dawn, when the two of you will then need to separate. I will be nearby, but I am not as familiar with the rituals and you will each be assigned to a guide for the process. Now, if you like, I can give you a bit more of tour?"

"That sounds wonderful Apolline. First, one more question. When would be a good time to present our gift? At the feast? Is there a proper way that it should be presented?"

"Yes, the feast would be an appropriate time. Rituals are important in some things, but there is no proper way for gifts. After the meal concludes, I would recommend you offer it to the matriarch at that time."

Harry nodded and Apolline led them out of the room and to a lower series of caves. The lower network contained a number of workshops, producing all the necessary items for the community. There were workshops for weaving, tanning and wordworking. There was also a large communal kitchen that was busy with preparations for the welcoming feast. On the bottom level, there were workshops for a blacksmith and even a glassblower, with those trades arranged in an area where they could access the geothermal heat easily. Harry found it a bit unusual to see only women and to be the only man in the community, but every one of the sisters was focused on her tasks.

Once they reached the ground level of the cave system, they exited out to the valley floor and were shown the dairy. They had already enjoyed a couple of the delicious local cheeses and appreciated the fine quality that was produced. From there they passed the pig stalls and then crossed through some fields, with Apolline pointing out what different crops were currently in season. Finally, they reached the orchards that lined the edge of the valley. Through the orchards ran a stream that curled through some fields and Apolline indicated that the stream provided a ready supply of fish throughout most of the year. It was fascinating to see how the community managed to provide a large percentage of what it needed in a most efficient manner.

As they walked back to the caves, Hermione posed a couple questions and Apolline advised that the community included nearly six hundred, including about seventy minors. Veela were long lived and had to leave the community to find mates for children, so the daughters were cherished by all. They were considered children until the age of thirteen, when they became novices for three years. At sixteen, they were given full adult status in the community. It was all quite fascinating to the Potters and the time went quickly while they toured. By the time Apolline delivered them back at their room, they had only forty minutes to prepare before the feast that evening.

Harry and Hermione dressed in their finest robes with the Potter crest and were ready when Apolline arrived, wearing an elaborate dress in shades of cream and gold. Harry had the shrunken chest of gold under his arm and offered his other arm to his wife as they followed Apolline through the twisted passages. Their route took them gradually higher until they reached a large, silver door embossed with a fanciful forest scene done in elaborate detail. The door swung open when they approached and they were led into a large hall lit with crystal lanterns set above nine long tables. One table was set higher than the rest and Rhea was already seated with a group of twelve other older veela around her. Harry was led to one side of Rhea, while Hermione sat on the other side. She turned to each of them and greeted them before then introducing the council of elders, the additional twelve dining at their table. Conversation with the different elder veela was light as the rest of the hall filled up quickly as the sisterhood joined them. A group of young veela were the last to enter the hall and came bearing floating platters, tureens and dishes of food. As soon as all the food was arranged on the tables, the veela who had brought it seated themselves at different tables. Then Rhea lifted a tureen of vegetables high above her head in an apparent signal to begin. With that, the hall began to buzz as food was passed and conversations began.

Harry and Hermione were offered each dish first and the wealth of food was spectacular. A large roast was the center, flanked by vegetables prepared in a variety of ways. Potatoes came accompanied with a rich cheese sauce and bread was served with the creamiest butter they had ever tasted. Each offering seemed better than the last as they enjoyed the feast and talked easily with everyone. Once everyone was well stuffed, the young veela who had delivered the food stood in silent union and cleared the dishes. As they passed through the doors, another group brought a new selection of dishes and platters with an array of cakes, sweets, custards and pies. By the end, Hermione wondered how her robes were even managing to fit anymore. Once the dessert dishes were gathered, the crowd grew quiet as Rhea stood to address the hall.

"Good evening my sisters. Now that we have taken our repast, I wish to formally introduce you to the guests that you have all heard about. They will be residing with us for a week and come to do battle against evil using our ancient arts. While the details I may share are limited, I ask for your welcome to them throughout this time. This is a momentous occasion for us to welcome outsiders and the times are bleak that would call for this action. We are hopeful that our actions will meet with success. I am pleased now to introduce Lord Harry James Potter and his bride, Lady Hermione Jean Potter."

Rhea looked over at them and Harry stood, giving Hermione his hand. He hadn't been prepared for a speech and was unsure what was expected when he suddenly had an idea to propose to his wife while the assembled crowd clapped politely.

 _Hermione, I wasn't prepared to speak. I wonder though, given that this is a matriarchy, perhaps I will yield to you for a brief statement and to present our gift._

 _Hmm, yes, I think that may be a good idea. You'll owe me for taking this for you._

Harry chuckled mentally as Hermione waited for the clapping to die down before she addressed the hall.

"Thank you everyone for the welcome. And an especial thanks to the matriarch and elders for their hospitality and assistance with most grave matters. My husband and I are aware of what a unique opportunity has been offered to us and we are hopeful that our time here will foster an understanding between our peoples. While this hospitality has been offered without reserve, it is our desire to show our gratitude in a more tangible manner. Earlier today, we were kindly shown around and realize that most everything the sisterhood needs is supplied among yourselves. Even so, there may be occasions where dealing with the outside is necessary. I hope that our small gift may assist in that regard."

Hermione smiled at Harry and he placed the shrunken chest on the table. Then he tapped it with his wand and it expanded to full size. He stepped back and gave a bare nod to Rhea, who stepped forward to open the chest. She controlled herself well, but he saw the faint glimmer of surprise. That was followed by a full smile as she turned to them both and spoke loudly so that the hall could hear.

"My lord and lady, this is indeed generous and much appreciated. I too hope this week will help to foster a greater understanding between us."

Rhea then turned to dismiss the hall and everyone filed out in an orderly manner. Apolline approached the table of elders and paused, waiting for her signal. Rhea gestured to her and she came up to stand by Hermione. They all said good night to the elders and Apolline escorted them from the hall.

Once they were a short distance out of the hall, Apolline finally broke the silence as she turned to Hermione.

"You both did excellent. I hadn't realized that the feast was going to include the entire sisterhood with the novices serving. That is a rare honor. And the decision for you to make the presentation instead of Harry was well thought. You've made quite an impression."

"Well, that was Harry's last minute decision. We're glad that it went well. We really can't repay the sisterhood enough for what you all are doing."

Apolline smiled and then they reached their room and she turned to look at them.

"I will leave you for tonight. I will return at dawn with two of my sisters and your purification rituals will begin. From that time you will be separated until the full moon and will be in other quarters. Good evening."

The door closed and Harry and Hermione immediately began to shed their dress robes. Hermione was wearing a simple dress underneath and her husband came up behind her to nuzzle her neck. Feeling his arousal, both physically and mentally, she turned to him and began kissing him earnestly before pulling back with a smirk.

 _I suppose since we're going to be separated, we should make the most of this night…_

 _Exactly my idea. I don't know how I'm going to stand a week away from you._

 _Well, Apolline seems to think her sisters have a way._

Harry was still doubtful, but decided not to use their limited time worrying. Instead, he turned his attention to undressing his wife. As her dress fell, she discarded his shirt. When he began to fondle her breasts, she dropped his pants and wasted no time freeing his erection from its confinement. As Harry's fingers suddenly plunged into her, Hermione gasped and he lowered her to the bed. Then he was on his knees, eager to taste her. He skillfully brought her to the edge, only to leave her gasping as he kicked his shorts off his last leg and then leaned over to slowly enter her as he nibbled her neck and tweaked a nipple. Hermione gasped, already close from his early work, and she came suddenly with a small yelp, digging her fingers into his bum as she quested to have him bury himself deeper. Taking the hint, he shifted his position and pulled her tight to him. The position meant that he had to stop his work on her neck, so instead he focused on setting an insistent rhythm as she crested again and begged him to join her. Eyes locked, they moved in tandem, feeling and seeking the other's climax. Each small change in rhythm and position was adjusted until they felt their mutual peak approach. With two more hard thrusts, Harry came at the same time as Hermione. Their gasps and seizing were in mutual union as well as they let their orgasms roll through their bond, intensifying to near painful levels before finally reaching a final climax. As they both collapsed, Harry stayed as long as he could and only slipped from the body of his soul mate as they both succumbed to slumber.

They woke sometime later and joined once more without words, making love in a manner that only a bond as deep as theirs would allow. Their climax sent them both into a deep sleep that was only broken by a chiming that seemed to resonate from the walls. A quick tempus showed that it was quite early in the morning, but they both figured it was a signal and rose with yawn as they made their way to the wonderful geothermal fueled bath. They had just finished cleaning and dressed in simple clothes when a knock sounded to announce the arrival of Apolline with two of her sisters.

"Good morning Harry. Let me introduce Malee, who will be taking you to your new chambers. And Hermione, this is Nina, who will be your guide for the next week. Starting this morning, your purification for the ritual begins and you will not see each other until the full moon."

Harry took a deep breath and turned to Hermione, pulling her close. They didn't kiss, but instead rested their foreheads together and traded thoughts of their love and bond. When they pulled apart, it was difficult, but then Nina took Hermione by the arm and led her away. With a sigh, Harry turned to Malee and nodded. She smiled and gestured for him to follow. After a final goodbye to Apolline, Harry went in the opposite direction that Hermione had left.

Harry followed Malee for a few minutes, twisting and winding as they gradually ascended a couple levels. Soon they were in a sparse chamber with little decoration, except a ring of runes around center of the space. The chamber wasn't large, but featured a bed, wardrobe, desk and two padded chairs. To one side of the chamber was a door that he would find out later led to a simply appointed bath. There was a feeling of palpable magic in the air and Harry wondered if the runes were the reason. His observations were cut short as Malee spoke for the first time.

"Lord Potter, your breakfast will arrive shortly. In the meantime, please change into the provided clothing. All of your own things will stay in the chamber we just left. During this week, everything you need will be prepared carefully and provided."

"I see, um, thank you."

"Thanks are not necessary. We all serve our roles. I have only a general idea of the reason for this purification, but I know that it is a step toward fighting the evil in your country and that is reason enough. I will be leaving now, but will return in ten minutes."

Harry nodded and went to the wardrobe. Inside were seven white silk outfits. Each were identical and contained pants and a shirt. On the shelf below were a stack of seven white silk shorts. He discarded his clothing and put on the shorts, followed by pants and shirt. It felt a bit strange to be wearing the soft material, but he figured he would get used to it. He then went and sat in a chair to wait. Precisely ten minutes later, Malee returned with a breakfast tray. On the tray was a bowl of berries, a small loaf of seasoned bread and a glass of water. It looked simple, but Harry figured that this was all part of the purification process. This was confirmed when Malee spoke.

"Your meal this morning consists of pure fruit and bread seasoned with cleansing herbs. The water is from our sacred well and contains additional minerals for balancing your body. Now, before you partake, it will be helpful to have you center yourself. I sense a block on your mind, so I believe you may have some knowledge in the working of the mind. Please sit and let us center…"

Malee gestured to one of the chairs and Harry sat again, while she sat across from him. He took a moment to perform his centering exercises and then Malee reached and took both his hands. She chanted lightly and he fell deeper into his calm center. How long he remained there, he was unsure. He only realized that Malee had pulled her hands from his and moved the table with food over in front of him. He opened his eyes enough to see the food, but remained calm as he placidly began to take each bite slowly. The berries were sweet, but the herbs on the bread were bitter. He recognized an unfamiliar taste in the water, but found it quite satisfying. He ate methodically and finished all the food. Malee had remained quiet throughout and then stood and looked down on him. She produced a small pouch from a pocket of her robes and rubbed a strangely scented paste from this forehead down to the tip of his nose. Harry was still partially suspended in his meditation as he took her next instructions.

"Stay here now and meditate on your center. One will come for you in a time."

Harry nodded and refocused on deepening his meditation again, with only a passing thought for Hermione, wondering what was happening for her.

On the same level of the elaborate cave system, Hermione was undergoing a near identical ritual, although she found the centering to take a bit longer. Her logical mind kept trying to analyze and catalog everything that was happening, from the unusual runes in her cavern to what herbs were used for her breakfast. Gradually she quieted as she tried to meditate on her center.

Harry stayed in his state for the next four hours. His trance was interrupted only when Malee returned with a much older woman. He was still dazed as he smiled and tried to offer a proper greeting, only to be silenced by a gesture and a smile.

"No welcome is necessary my young lord. I am Tara, a shaman of my people. The chumlish has aided your meditation and you are well centered. Now it is time for the next step. I have prepared a cleansing bath for you. Please discard your clothing and follow me."

Harry was in a calm enough state that he didn't question. He stood and removed the three articles of clothing, laying them carefully on the bed. Then he followed Tara to the bath. The tub was steaming and oils had been added that perfumed the air. He followed her gesture and stepped into the steaming liquid. He submerged to his shoulders as Tara chanted over him, waving a bough of woven flora over him. Then she reached and placed a hand on his shoulder. With gentle pressure, he took the hint and took a deep breath before letting himself be submerged. After a few seconds under the water, he was pulled up. The process was repeated a total of seven times as Tara continued chanting. Then she took him by the hand and led him out of the bath, handing him a thick woolen towel as he exited. He dried as she watched and then followed her back to the main chamber. When she indicated, he dressed again and then turned to see that Malee had arrived back with his mid-day meal. This time it was a seasoned vegetable soup. He ate while Tara watched and, when the last bite was done, she took him by the hand and led him out of the chamber.

They walked only a short distance to another chamber. This one was a bit larger, but with a low ceiling decorated in crystals. A ring of runes glowed from the floor and six more of the sisterhood awaited them. Harry followed Tara's example and bowed as he entered the room. Then he went to sit in the center of the circle as Tara began to chant over him and he slipped back into a meditative state. Over the next several hours, the seven elders chanted over him as he sat unmoving in their center. Late in the afternoon, Tara rose and summoned him from his center before leaving the room with him following behind. He was led back to his own chamber and she turned and spoke directly to him for the first time in hours.

"My young lord, you have done well for your first day. The rituals are complete for this day, but I ask that you keep your meditation while I give you something to study. There are parchments on the desk that detail the origins of the magic that we will work on the full moon. These have been translated to your language especially for you. Please study and meditate on them. I will see you on the morrow."

Tara left and Harry crossed to the desk. While the parchment contained quite a bit of English, the meat of the ritual utilized runes and Harry was glad that he had been working with Hermione to catch up in the class. Still, he knew that understanding the complex ritual would be difficult. Thinking of his wife, he realized suddenly that he hadn't talked to her mentally all day. Feeling for her, he felt a soft thrumming that he recognized as her touch, but their communication was severed. He had been so involved in the ritual throughout the day that he hadn't realized. He supposed it was part of the veela magic, but it was disconcerting once he realized. He carefully focused back on his center and calmed himself before continuing to study the parchments that had been left for him.

In another chamber not far away, Hermione had realized that their connection was severed a few hours earlier. The elders had helped to calm her and she had managed to focus on her meditation again, but she still was left a bit uneasy. As the seven elders assigned to her chanted over her, she gradually calmed. Later, once she was presented with the details on the ritual, she found herself distracted by the fascinating study and found it a bit easier to set aside her disconnect from Harry.

Both Harry and Hermione studied and meditated until seven in the evening, when their guides each arrived with identical dinners. Harry looked down on the cornmeal cake, squash stuffed with a rice blend, salad sprinkled with herbs, and a baked and spiced apple and realized that all meat and dairy had been eliminated for the entire day. He wondered if the same would continue for the week, but figured it would be a small price to pay. He ate heartily and Malee appeared as soon as he finished. The food had all tasted fine, but it never filled him up and he was still quite hungry, but she didn't appear to be offering him anything else.

Before she gathered the dinner tray, Malee asked him to stand and remove all but his shorts. Harry did as requested and she stepped forward with another pouch and proceeded to outline figures on his chest and arms. His arms began to grow heavy as a tiredness enveloped him. She led him to the bathroom where he emptied his bladder before letting her lead him to the bed. She pulled the covers aside and he gratefully inserted himself between the soft sheets. By the time Malee exited with the dinner tray and waved off the lights, Harry was already fast asleep.

A couple passages away from Harry, Hermione was just drifting off to sleep as well after a near identical day of meditation, diet and study. Her mind took a while to calm and she implemented a passive meditation technique that she hadn't used in a couple years. Usually when she slept with Harry, their bond soothed them and allowed them to sleep. Either that or they wore themselves out making love and fell to sleep immediately after. Thinking about Harry didn't help to calm her and she had to purposefully redirect her thoughts. They hadn't spent so much time apart since they had bonded and she missed him, although not as badly as she had feared. She worried about the coming days, but then had to push that thought aside. Gradually she managed to get her mind to calm and was able to sleep.

Meanwhile, Harry's sleep had hit a deep rhythm and he began to dream. Surprisingly, the dream was one from childhood. He was about five or six and had been dusting the living room when he had knocked off one of the many pictures of Dudley. The glass had cracked and his aunt had appeared almost immediately to look aghast at what he had done. She wailed for a minute over the picture of her 'precious Duddykins' and then turned a fierce glare on Harry. Setting the picture aside, she had slapped his face hard, grabbed him by the collar and thrown him in his cupboard, kicking him just before she slammed the door closed. He heard the lock snick closed and then he was stuck. He remained in there for a couple of days. Twice the door was opened a crack and a glass of brownish water was pushed in, but food was denied. He hated drinking the water because he knew then he would have to use his cup to pee in, but he also knew he needed the moisture. Finally, his aunt's wrath abated and he was allowed out. She also had guests due that night and needed the entire house cleaned. Finally, after a day of cleaning, he was permitted one sandwich before being sent back to his cupboard.

The memory was just one of many from Harry's dark childhood. What he remembered most was the hunger and how it made him feel weak. Then the dream dissolved and was replaced with Hermione's face and her reassurance that he wasn't weak. Her voice soothed him and his memory slowly dissolved into a pleasant nothingness, with only her voice in the distance.

When Harry woke the next morning, he found himself surprisingly rested and not as hungry as he had anticipated. Malee appeared precisely on time and told him to gather clothes for the day. Then she went and prepared his bath, steaming hot with a fresh batch of herbs and oils that smelled slightly different than before. She let him bathe on his own and he dressed in the same simple white garments. When he emerged from the bath, he found his breakfast waiting, identical to the day before. The rest of the day proceeded the same as the previous, except for the night when his dreams varied.

Harry's dreams his second night featured a memory from about the age of nine when Dudley and his gang had caught Harry behind the dumpsters at school. There was an all school fire drill happening and they had been lost in the rush. Dudley directed his friends on how and where to hit Harry and soon he was writhing in pain with cracked ribs, a black eye and cigarette burns on his bum. Then Piers started talking about what else he wanted to do to the freak while his pants were down. Harry then knew real fear and was only saved by the sound of a teacher who was nearby. Dudley had yanked Harry up, pulled his pants up and dared him to go crying to the teacher. Unwilling to give his cousin the satisfaction of seeing him cry, Harry had calmed his tears and ran away as the teacher came and ordered them all back to class. When questioned later, he claimed to have run into a door and given himself a black eye. No one else saw the other marks and Harry managed to never get cornered again. As he tossed in his sleep with the memory, the jeers of Dudley and his gang were replaced by the cheers of Gryffindor when he caught the snitch for the first time. No longer was he the outcast, the cousin of the school bully that needed to be avoided at all costs. The memory soothed him and another fear was set aside as sleep claimed him.

The first four days and nights of their purifications were much the same for Harry and Hermione. On the fifth day, their afternoon meditations were changed. After a brief meditation, a new elder came into each of their chambers. For Harry, he was assigned one of the eldest among the sisterhood. Her name was Hera and she came to teach. He was still deep within meditation when she called to him.

"My young lord, return to us now. We have much to discuss."

Harry's eyes gradually opened and he looked at the little woman sitting on a cushion in front of him.

"Hello, my name is Hera. You have come far in only a few days. Now we will see how your purification is affecting your magic. You are still tainted, but the taint is lessened. Please now cast a simple spell. Perhaps try to levitate this book."

Harry nodded and took his wand that Hera offered him. The spell was simple, but the book she had placed in front of him was a massive tome. He focused intently and cast the spell. He had planned on raising it about a meter off the floor. Instead, the book floated halfway to the ceiling. Hera gave the barest of smiles and nodded.

"Very good, now hold it there. Do not let it waver. Use your meditation to center your magic. Hold it…"

Harry hadn't tried holding anything in mid-air for longer than a couple minutes, but soon ten minutes passed. As he approached fifteen, he began to feel drained and focused harder, trying to let his magic flow unrestrained. Finally, at twenty-two minutes, the book faltered a bit. Hera began chanting and the sound seemed to center him more as the falter ended. At twenty-five minutes, Hera spoke again.

"Very good. Now lower it carefully and set it on the table."

That final exercise took the last of Harry's control, but he managed to keep the book from crashing to the table. Once it was in place, he took a long, shuddering breath.

"Breathe deep my young lord. Feel the breath of life fill and renew you. Focus...center…"

Hera's last words dissolved into a chant and Harry descended into meditation again for another half hour. As her chant lessened, Hera spoke again.

"Now, one more exercise for the day. Light this candle and keep it lit."

Harry momentarily had the thought that at least they were ending easy and he lit the candle she placed in front of him. Then a wind blew across the candle and he had just a moment to focus and keep it from going out. The wind was directed and blew stronger, amazingly only disturbing the space immediately around the candle, and it took more of Harry's focus to keep it burning brightly.

"You are fighting the wind my young lord. Rather than fight, perhaps you should redirect. Set aside your strictures and focus your intent. Move the air…"

Hera's focusing chant began again as Harry contemplated what she said. He was tired, but decided to focus on the wind, while still having to keep the candle burning. It was difficult to split his efforts and he briefly wished he had Hermione's mind available to him. As he thought of her and how much he missed her, his focus failed a bit and the candle almost went out before he caught it. Hera's chanting increased in volume and he centered himself again. He knew no spell to specifically redirect the wind, but instead focused on the intent of moving it elsewhere. Surprisingly it worked as the wind instead blew over Hera, leaving the candle undisturbed. She smiled and nodded as her chanting diminished.

"Excellent my young lord, remember your focus and intent. Now, proceed with your meditation."

Harry's eyes gradually closed as he meditated and he didn't notice when Hera left. He was only brought to the present when Malee returned to take him back to his chambers.

The final three days of the week continued the same for Harry and Hermione as they continued with their ritual of cleansing, meditation and practicing their focus. Each night featured dreams that challenged them to face fears and overcome them. The week was long, but each felt raw and strong by the end. Their separation from each other was difficult, but the elders assigned to them worked spells to lessen the effects.

On the day of the 23rd, Malee arrived at the usual time, but did not direct Harry to the bath. She instead delivered his breakfast and waited for him to eat. He had no other changes of clothes, but had learned to be patient and did not ask. When he finished his simple repast, Malee gestured and he followed her. He was in just his shorts, but he accepted it as he had learned to accept each stage of the process. They traveled further up the caverns and arrived in a chamber with a large pool that steamed more than the bath in his chamber. Malee directed him to remove his shorts and Harry did as requested and then walked into the pool when she pointed. The water was almost too hot, but he implemented his meditation and endured the heat as his body adjusted. Once he was submerged to his neck, his elders appeared wearing simple white shifts and stood around the pool, chanting. Various herbs were tossed in the water and none directly addressed Harry as he waited and continued meditating. After an hour, the elders chant reached a high pitch and he was suddenly floated out of the water and set to stand on a nearby rock. Still deep within his meditation, he felt no shyness as he stood naked within the steam. Then the elders approached and began to rub his body in a pattern with different leaves, serums and salves. Then Hera stepped forward with a small pot and a brush and began to draw runes across his skin. The substance burned as it was applied, although it left no lasting mark, and Harry was forced to delve deeper into his magic as he blocked his senses and focused. It took Hera nearly two hours to complete the runes that covered his entire body, marking each of his energy points. Once she finished, the elders left and Malee returned. She provided Harry a simple white shift and then led him to another chamber. Once there, he was offered a simple broth with herbs, but no vegetables. Once he finished, he was taken to very small chamber that was lined in runes. It was only a bit over a meter high and she directed him to sit. Harry crawled in and did as he was told. Then Malee closed the door and he was on his own.

One level up, Hermione was enduring a similar ritual and was also placed in a final lone meditation chamber. Like Harry, she would remain in the space until the rising of the moon.

As the evening began, Harry and Hermione's guides were sent to their meditation chambers to retrieve each of them. They were then led up a long series of passages to the top of the cave system. Before they exited onto the top of the cliff, each was taken to a final preparation room. Hera was waiting for Harry and removed his shift. The runes she had placed on him had taken on a blue glow and she chanted over him before placing a kiss on his head and smiling.

"My young lord. You have done well. Now the time of the final purification has come. Step out and follow our matriarch's lead. Your mate awaits you."

Harry said nothing, but went to the directed doorway and found himself stepping out into the cool of the spring evening. He saw Rhea a short distance away, standing on an altar around which burned seven small fires. She gestured to him and he walked the path straight to her. Then he looked across and saw Hermione coming from the opposite direction. She was also adorned in nothing but runes and her essence called to him. They reached spots a couple meters from Rhea and she gestured them to stop. Harry had a sense of others joining them and did not need to look to know that the other elders were surrounding them. Then Rhea began chanting and Harry felt himself focusing as his meditation began. Rhea continued chanting until the time when the moon was fully risen. The magic in the air was thick and unlike anything Harry or Hermione had felt before, but they were both deeply focused within. Then Rhea's voice cut through to them as she called them forward. She stepped back off the large, round altar stone and Harry and Hermione both stepped up on it. Rhea's voice was now joined by the elders, who were now encased in a second ring of twenty-one small fires. As the mutual chant increased, Harry felt his desire flare. Hermione was feeling the same, but their training from the last week kept them from reaching for each other.

Finally, as the chant reached a crescendo, Rhea reached and placed a hand on each of their arms. Each spoke the words that they had learned during their studies. The language was ancient and unknown to them, but the meaning was clear as their voices were added to the chants around them. When they finished, Rhea raised her hands above her head in a loud clap. That was the signal as they each let out a long breath and reached for each other. With the chant continuing around them, they kissed with passionate fire as desire unlike anything they had known burned in them worse than the application of the runes to their skin. Harry lowered his bride to the well-worn altar stone and sealed his lips to hers as he entered the body of his beloved. Their eyes were locked and, for the first time in a week, their minds were joined as each felt pleasure from the moment of their joining. As Harry set a rhythm in time to the chanting, he began to feel a new burning starting in his head. As it grew worse, only Hermione's voice calling out in ecstasy kept him focused on the task of loving her. Exerting all his strength, he blocked the pain and continued to plunge in and out of his wife, desperately seeking his fulfillment as waves of pleasure suffused him. At the moment when he released, his head exploded in utter agony, only to be driven away by the purest and most intense pleasure he had ever felt. He threw his head back as he screamed to the moon and kept pulsing and ejecting seed into his love. Below him, Hermione also called to the heavens as she convulsed continually in a mixture of exquisite joy and pain, feeling everything for herself and Harry. Their combined emotions flowed back and forth as each strengthened the other.

While the young couple climaxed and the ritual called the last taint from Harry's body, four of the elders incanted a rare rite nearby as they placed a pig on a secondary altar and held the beast down while it squealed at the intrusion of blackness that suddenly fell upon it. When their rite was done, the sisterhood's sibyl stepped forth and began her own work, dousing the pig in sacred water as she drew a series of runes around it. The runes shifted as images appeared and she read the portents. Meanwhile, the pig's thrashing grew worse and the sibyl gave the signal that she was done. With her confirmation, the other four opened the belly of the pig with an ancient dagger. Then the entrails were drawn forth and thrown on the largest of the sacred fires, sending the blackness screaming away as the chanting finished.

When the sacred glade quieted, the fires burned low and two of the elders approached the sleeping couple entwined together on the altar. One leaned forward to apply a salve to the open and bleeding wound on Harry's head. Then they were bundled together and transported back to their first chamber. Neither woke until the next morning.

When Hermione did wake, she was the first to regain consciousness and looked around to see that they were back in their original guest chamber. She looked over at Harry and smiled at how peaceful he looked. Then his eyes fluttered open and he smiled at her, pulling her close as they held each other. Although neither had received confirmation, they felt that the ritual had worked. Each smiled as they shared the memories of that most unique and intense union. Then they decided on a bath and made their way together. They soaked in the warm waters for a while, deciding that they were now allowed to do as they wished since no one had come for them. The runes were no longer visible, although they each felt a bit of a lasting sting when they entered the warm water. They washed each other and reveled in the joy of being together again. When Harry splashed water on his face and cleared the salve, Hermione gasped.

 _What's wrong love?_

 _Nothing! Your scar, it's there, but barely. I have to really look to even see it faintly._

Harry was shocked and climbed out of the tub to cross to a mirror. He ran a finger across his forehead and smiled.

 _Finally. I've wanted that damn thing gone my whole life._

Hermione came up behind him and wrapped him in a hug. Then they dried each other and dressed in their own clothes since none others had been provided. When they returned to the bedchamber, Apolline was waiting and smiled at them.

"It's good to see Apolline. I hope you had a good week with your sisters."

"Thank you. The week was pleasant. I have heard you met with success. Now, the matriarch has breakfast waiting."

They nodded and followed her back through the passageways until they came to the first chamber they had met Rhea in. When they entered, she smiled and came to clasp hands with them both.

"My lord and lady, come and eat with me. The working of the rites always leaves one with a hunger."

They followed Rhea and went to sit at the low table. As soon as they were in place, several novices arrived with platters. The meal was the largest they had seen in a week and Harry felt his stomach growl and had an urge to reach for everything. Then he remembered his training and used his meditation to focus himself and control his urges. Rhea must have felt it, because she smiled at him. They ate mostly in silence until the end. As the novices cleared the dishes, Rhea smiled and looked up as a side door opened. In walked another older woman, although she wasn't one of the elders that they remembered.

"My friends, this is the Sibyl. As planned, we were able to trap the darkness when it fled from you and she was able to do a reading in hopes of locating the rest of the darkness. She is here now to tell you what she saw."

The Sibyl stood, not looking at anyone as she stared at some far distant point and began to speak.

" **The rest of what you seek has been scattered amongst your lands.**

 **The circle of gold for his family is ancient indeed but tainted for sure, residing where his mother once immured.**

 **That chain from which hangs another resides in the house of the blackest brother.**

 **A circlet of wisdom has returned to its home and is placed in the room holding lost tomes.**

 **The cup of the most loyal hides deep within the caverns of golden toil.**

 **Finally the last, close to the host, slithers and turns and will trouble the most.** "

As the Sibyl uttered the last, she turned and left the room with no further words, leaving Hermione reciting quickly to commit the words to memory. Rhea sensed her need and passed a piece of parchment as she quickly wrote everything down while the matriarch addressed her guests.

"And that is the way with the Sibyl. Her words are true, but not always easy. Still, I believe this will bring you closer on your quest. I am afraid the sisterhood can offer you nothing more."

Hermione looked up from her completed notes and took Rhea's hands in hers.

"You and your sisters have done more than we can ever thank you for. You have freed my husband from a terrible fate. There is still work to be done, but we now have something to work with. It may not be enough, but I thank you from the depths of my soul. Know that if you ever need an ally in Britain, you have it."

Rhea seemed moved and nodded as she stared in both their eyes. Then she hugged them both before leading them back to the door. Apolline was waiting and the matriarch addressed her.

"Take them home now Apolline. Their path is brighter, but still with much to be done. I have confidence in our young lord and lady though. And I hope that you will return to your sisters more often with less bleak news."

Apolline nodded and accepted the matriarch's embrace. Then she led them back to their guest chamber. They packed quickly and then she led them down a couple of levels to the entrance where Harry's broom was waiting. On the way, they stopped to say goodbye to Malee and Nina, who each embraced their charges and wished them well on their journey.

As the sun reached its zenith at noon, Harry touched down with his broom just outside the valley and Apolline landed and transformed next to them. She took the amulets that they had been given and suddenly the valley disappeared and they each felt a push to continue further down the path toward Le Fau. Apolline led the way, taking them on the last stages of their journey to return back to Hogwarts. The week had been difficult, but successful, and now they had a guide for the rest of their quest.


	21. Horcrux Hunt

Chapter 21 – Horcrux Hunt

It was late afternoon on Monday when the Potters returned to Hogwarts. They immediately had Dobby take them to directly to their apartment, unwilling to endure questioning quite yet. They hadn't talked much during the hike and then the bus ride had muggles nearby. After a quick unpacking, they settled down on the sofa and talked between themselves.

 _So love, we have our clues. I think we both have guesses on a few, but then others are vague. What is it about seers and being so obtuse?_

Hermione chuckled at her husband's frustration.

 _Well, you know my feelings on the divination arts. I guess not everyone is a fraud, but they're way too unscientific for my liking. I think we need to get help with the clues._

 _Yes, I know our friends are going to want to know where we've been. And they need to know that my horcrux is gone. We may not be able to give details, but the change in my scar is obvious._

 _Yes, our friends and allies for sure, but I think we also need to bring Dumbledore in on this._

Before Hermione could continue, she felt Harry bristle and tense.

 _I know we haven't been happy with him love, but I still think he knows more than he's telling. I think we need to confront him. We tell him what we know with a guarantee that he doesn't hold back anything he can offer._

Harry's mind churned for a couple minutes and Hermione let him be while he sorted his feelings.

 _I guess you're right. I'm still not happy with him, but I need to set that aside. So, we need to tell our friends and allies. That includes the adults. I guess we'll need to meet again somewhere._

 _The Burrow or Grimmauld is a good place. Except with Grimmauld under the Fidelius, that means giving those who don't know about it the secret._

 _I guess the Burrow is the logical choice. We really do need our own home for this, but right now this apartment is the best we have. Or your parents place, but we can't ward it well enough. The Burrow's wards are quite significant. Alright, I guess I should make a floo call to Molly. When do we want to do this, tonight? I don't think we should delay._

 _Maybe give everyone a bit more warning. Certainly the students can make it, but we don't know what the other allies have on their schedules. Madam Bones especially is quite busy right now._

 _Alright, that makes sense. I'm just eager to get this done. So after dinner tomorrow night at the Burrow?_

Hermione agreed and Harry was ready to do something as he called Dobby and asked to be taken to the headmaster's gargoyle, still wanting to avoid seeing anyone in the halls. Hermione stayed behind to start writing letters to everyone else. When Harry passed the gargoyle and arrived in the office, Dumbledore was just stepping in from his private apartment and smiled at Harry.

"Lord Potter, you've returned! Most excellent. I hope your business fared well."

"Good afternoon headmaster. Yes, we had a most productive week."

Harry stepped closer to the headmaster and leaned over his desk. As he did so, he swept his hair aside so the faint trace of his scar was visible. Dumbledore looked truly shocked for the first time that Harry could remember.

"Dear Maeve! Does that mean…the horcrux?"

"Yes. One more down. And there is more to discuss. That is why I am here. I need to floo the Burrow and see if Molly can host a meeting of all of House Potter's allies tomorrow after dinner. Hermione and I have discussed this, and we would like you there as well headmaster. We believe you have additional information that will be helpful, if you are open to sharing everything. I know the notice is short, but this cannot wait."

"Of course. Please, use the floo and check with Molly, but I'm sure it won't be an issue. And I'll gladly attend."

Harry nodded to the headmaster and went to the floo. It only took a moment for Molly to respond.

"Harry! How are you? Is everything alright?"

"Yes Molly, actually I have some good news. I need to call a meeting with all the allies and wish to ask once again for your hospitality so that we can meet at the Burrow."

"Pfft, of course. What time? Will it be everyone?"

"Hermione and I were thinking after dinner tomorrow, say around half past seven. And hopefully everyone will be there. Hermione is drafting notes now. The headmaster will also be in attendance."

"Alright, that time works. I'll make a couple cobblers for everyone. Oh don't argue young man! I've got no one but Arthur to cook for right now."

Harry laughed and proceeded to inhale a bunch of soot, starting a coughing fit. He waved at Molly through the fire and then pulled his head out. Dumbledore floated a glass of water over and Harry took it with a wave of thanks as he cleared the soot from his throat. With everything set, he called Dobby and was back in the apartment only minutes after having left.

Harry went over to the table where Hermione was working on notes and sat down to help with the last couple. Only the times weren't filled in. Once that was added, they had the notes all ready and sent Hedwig off on a journey to deliver them all. The last stop would be at the Grangers, and Harry instructed her to rest there for however long she needed before returning. With the notes done, their next task was to inform all their friends. Since the last of classes were done and dinner was still an hour away, they headed for the Gryffindor common room.

In the common room, they found all the Weasleys, Neville and Luna, but not the others. Everyone decided to move their studies to the Potter apartment while Ginny quickly ran off to find Susan and Blaise, returning just a few minutes later after locating them in the library. Once everyone had found seats in the apartment, Harry decided to make his first announcement in much the same manner as he had informed the headmaster.

"Alright everyone, I know you all are curious about where we've been for a week. We can only give you a few limited details, but I do have something very good to show you."

Harry swept his hair aside and there was a collective gasp. Several people jumped up to come look closer. It was Ginny who spoke first, her voice wavering a bit.

"Your scar is gone! Well, almost. Does that mean the horcrux is gone?"

"Yes Ginny. One more down. And we have clues on the others. There's a lot more we need to tell you, but all of the allies need to hear. We've scheduled a meeting tomorrow evening back at the Burrow at half past seven. The headmaster will be there as well. We need him to share some of his hoarded knowledge."

Everyone looked at Hermione and quickly agreed that they would be there of course. A number of questions hung in the air, but Hermione assured them that they would find out more the following night. With the questions set aside, talk turned to events of the last week at Hogwarts. Harry was happy to hear that Gryffindor had won handily with Ginny catching the snitch. There was some talk of classes, but studying was put off until after dinner. When dinnertime came, all the friends went down together and claimed a section of the Gryffindor table, even though all four houses were represented. Harry and Hermione's return caused a bit of a buzz, but they decided to ignore it. After dinner they stopped at McGonagall's office to pick up their missed assignments and then went to the Room of Requirement for their training with Tonks.

Training that night started with the usual physical workout. Tonks pushed everyone, but especially worked Harry and Hermione hard since they had missed a couple trainings. They finished the night with a round of dueling and everyone was exhausted as Hermione finished off the night dueling with Blaise while Harry dueled Tonks. They had strict instructions to focus only on their own duels and neither had a problem with that. In truth, each duel was well matched and trying. Harry found himself digging deep as he focused his magic using some of the meditation techniques he had learned in France. Even when he was at his most tired, it gave him a bit of extra energy that allowed a last spell barrage to overwhelm Tonks' shields. She was panting at the end and gave out rare congratulations.

"Well, your skills certainly didn't suffer while you were away. Amazing focus there Harry…wait…what?"

Harry was panting and had just reached to wipe his face, pushing his hair back without realizing. Now Tonks was staring at his forehead. He just grinned at their friend and instructor.

"Let's just say we had an eventful week Tonks."

She just nodded, obviously holding back on the questions they knew she must have. With the last duels complete for the evening, everyone dismissed back to their separate quarters. The Potters took a shower and then spent an hour working through a bit of missed assignments before finally calling it a night when they both found themselves nodding off into their books.

The following day of classes was busy as Hermione and Harry had a lot to catch up on. Their work in the weeks before helped, but they each knew they had long nights and weekends ahead. The good part of remaining busy was that neither had much chance to dwell on the meeting at the Burrow. Once classes finished for the day, they retreated to the Gryffindor common room and worked on assignments before heading down to dinner with their friends.

After dinner, all the friends made their way to the headmaster's office, arriving there ten minutes before the scheduled meeting. Dumbledore was waiting and led the way to the floo as they all followed and stepped through to the Burrow. When they arrived, Sirius, Remus, Xeno and the rest of the Weasleys were waiting with the others still to arrive. Harry and Hermione apparated to her home to collect the Grangers, arriving back just after Amelia arrived. Augusta arrived last. Fleur was with Bill, but the rest of the Delacours weren't in attendance since they had talked to Apolline and she was going to update her husband. Once everyone had taken their seats, Hermione laid down the extra privacy charms, as she had done before. The headmaster raised his eyebrows, but the others were familiar with the routine. Once that was done, Harry began.

"Alright everyone, thanks for gathering on such short notice. I know many of you are curious about the house business that called us away from school for a week. I can now tell you a bit of what we've been doing, although some details I cannot tell due to a binding secrecy vow. This past week was spent with us undergoing complex magic with the end goal of removing the horcrux from my head with the aid of certain allies. I can see Fleur looking at me, so I can confirm only that veela assisted us in this matter. Please do not ask for more details. I owe them my life since we were ultimately successful."

With that, Harry pushed his hair back and the room exploded in gasps, whoops and tears. Molly began sobbing so hard that Arthur had to take control of her. Sirius was unusually quiet, but crossed the room and embraced Harry in a silent hug for a moment. Fleur followed him, rambling in French. Hermione let everyone get under control and then continued.

"So obviously the week was a success with just that accomplished, but there is more. The piece of soul that left was harnessed for a brief time and used to take a reading to determine the location of the other pieces via the binds between each piece. Here is the precise text from that reading:

 **The rest of what you seek has been scattered amongst your lands.**

 **The circle of gold for his family is ancient indeed but tainted for sure, residing where his mother once immured.**

 **That chain from which hangs another resides in the house of the blackest brother.**

 **A circlet of wisdom has returned to its home and is placed in the room holding lost tomes.**

 **The cup of the most loyal hides deep within the caverns of golden toil.**

 **Finally the last, close to the host, slithers and turns and will trouble the most.** **"**

"So, our next task is determine what articles are described and where they might be. We have worked out some of them, but we need input on the others. First, headmaster, you have the ring that you located. Could that be the 'circle of gold for his family'? And what about 'where is his mother once immured'? You didn't give us any details on that ring, but now we need _all_ that you know about it."

Dumbledore was contemplative, but nodded, recognizing the emphasis that Hermione had placed in her statement.

"Yes, I believe you are correct that the ring fulfills the first statement Lady Potter. The ring is indeed ancient and was handed down to the Gaunts from one of their ancestors tracing back to the Peverell line. I retrieved it from a hiding place in the cornerstone of the ruins of the Gaunt family home. And Merope, Tom Riddle's mother, did live there almost as a prisoner."

"Okay, thank you. So that's the first one. Second, we have a chain holding something in the 'house of the blackest brother'. We guess this would be an amulet of some sort if it hangs on a chain? The reference to anything black makes us wonder about your family Sirius."

"Hmm, well that would be right. I always said that Regulus was the blackest of us. He was a Death Eater for a while, then tried to back out of his decision. Riddle killed him personally. Why would he have anything to do with a horcrux? Anyway, if he did have something, it would be at Grimmauld. Of course, the house is chock full of old artifacts. Maybe I should dig through the old jewelry. I wish we had a better idea of what kind of amulet. My mother and her ancestors were fond of jewels and there are a lot of baubles around."

Dumbledore looked at Sirius to reply.

"Perhaps I can help Sirius. In my research into Tom's past, I spoke at length with the matron of the orphanage where he resided. His mother was a bit delirious as she labored with him and spoke of a number of things. She mentioned being penniless after using the last of some money she gained from selling a family heirloom, specifically a locket that was handed down the Slytherin line. A memory that I obtained from a Ministry official who visited the house showed her wearing a locket with an elaborate S set with small emeralds. I thought I may have found the location for it, but hadn't had the chance to visit there yet. Perhaps I was wrong."

"Alright well, sounds like it's time to start turning the house inside out. Why don't we move on to the next Hermione."

"Okay, next we have a 'circlet of wisdom' 'returned to its home' and a 'room of lost tomes'. This one is the most puzzling. A circlet is round, so are we talking about a necklace again, or maybe a bracelet?"

"No Hermione. It has to be the diadem. Rowena's diadem."

"What Luna? Rowena? As in Ravenclaw? I guess not being from your house I don't know about that."

"That's alright Hermione, most of my house probably doesn't know. I talk to the Grey Lady a lot. Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem was supposed to grant great wisdom to anyone who wears it, but it's been lost for nearly eight centuries."

"Hmm, that does sound like a fit. So, if the circlet is the diadem, then its home would be Hogwarts. So somewhere at Hogwarts in a room of lost tomes. The library maybe? That will take some more thought. Anyone have any ideas?"

With no ideas forthcoming, Harry suggested that they move on with the next clues. Hermione agreed, but he could hear her mind still turning the last problem around in her head.

"Okay, next we have the 'cup of the most loyal' in 'caverns of golden toil'. Harry and I think we have this one figured out, at least partially. His last vision when Voldemort got angry showed Rodolphus being tortured for not being able to get a cup that Riddle had the Lestranges hold onto. It's in the Lestrange vault in Gringotts. That would be the caverns in question we think. I'm not sure about the most loyal part, but I think the big problem will be how to get something out of a Gringotts vault."

"Actually Hermione, I can explain the 'cup of the most loyal'. Another memory I procured involved Tom Riddle as a young man who worked for Borgin and Burke, buying artifacts for the shop. One artifact he was interested in was a cup that belonged to Helga Hufflepuff. The elderly owner didn't wish to sell, but she died under mysterious circumstances and the cup went missing."

Everyone took a moment to think over that information as the pieces started to fall in place. Bill was the next to speak up.

"Well, if the cup dates from the Founders' time, then it is most likely goblin crafted. If you have a description and it is stolen, then we can invoke goblin rights. There's an old piece of the original charter between the Ministry and Gringotts that specifies any goblin fashioned item remains under the protection of the goblin nation. Also, any items under protection have to be approved with the goblin nation before they can be sold outside a family line. If the goblins find an item that is stolen, it is within their rights to reclaim the item and the charter specifies that they must cede the item back to the family with legal ownership. Again, this is only for goblin crafted items."

Dumbledore rubbed his beard and nodded.

"Well, I have a memory of the cup and it appears goblin crafted to me. I can provide the description. What do we need to do to procure the help of the goblins in this matter William?"

"I think it would be best to speak to Ragnok directly. Harry, I can arrange a meeting for you, or I can talk to him if you'd like. If the cup is found, he'll want to know what we need to do with it. Also, I believe the Hufflepuff line is extinct?"

"Yes Bill, when I claimed my title and the ring for Gryffindor, we were told the Hufflepuff ring was destroyed since there are no descendants. And we do have plans for the horcruxes, but first, let's address the last clue."

Hermione nodded when Harry looked at her.

"Alright, the last clue is fairly straightforward. That which stays 'close to the host' and 'slithers and turns'. This has to be Voldemort's snake Nagini. And getting to her will be something that 'troubles the most'. So, with that last one answered, we're a lot further ahead on tracking these down. The next question is how to destroy them. If we can get to the snake, killing her will cause the soul fragment to leave. That's why using animate creatures is not usually desired. Freeing soul shards from inanimate objects takes a bit more, but we have a lead on that as well. Harry, why don't you go ahead with the rest?"

"Yes, we have another good bit of news. Thanks to Charlie's research in the rare book archives housed at the reserve and guarded by the dragons, we have a way to destroy the horcruxes. He worked with a translator on a very old book that details the use of a rare rock called reticulated massiopyte. When the rock is chewed by a dragon, the dragon fire that results is particularly hot and can free the soul shard from the item. Charlie believes the best dragon to use would be an Ukrainian Ironbelly…"

"Actually Harry, I've been doing some more research and I found references in some easier to translate works. Nothing specific to horcruxes, but the books mention magic fueled dragon fire. It isn't just the heat of the fire that matters, but the magic employed. The Ironbelly is good for heat, but not very high on magic. The Ironbellies are big, dumb and full of fire. There is a rare dragon from the north called the Finnish Tulenhengittaja that I would like to try first. My hope is to accomplish what we need with less rock. The Tulen dragons, as they are known, are quite small, only about 300-500 kilograms. If the Tulen doesn't work, we can switch to the Ironbelly."

"Well, I'll yield to your expertise on dragons Charlie, although we do have a slight issue with the rock. It turns out that reticulated massiopyte is radioactive. Not overly so, but for every two hours of exposure, the miners need an eight hour break. It means we will need to store it in lead lined containers somewhere away from people until we need it. If we have to go to Finland, then we'll need to arrange transport for the rock up there."

"Interesting, that does complicate matters. I have a friend who used to work at our reserve who is up in Finland now. Let me see if we can borrow one of the smaller Tulen for a brief time. I'll work on it and let you know."

"That sounds good. We still have at least five weeks until we get the stone. It comes from a small isolated mountain region in southern Russia. So, that's all we've got updates on for now. I think we're making good progress at least. The sooner we get these damn horcruxes dealt with, then we can focus on Voldemort himself."

"Once **_we_** are ready for him."

Harry nodded and acknowledged the fierce look from his wife before turning his attention back to the rest of the room.

"That's all I have. Let's recap our action items. One, Sirius is going to search Grimmauld for the locket. Two, we need to check on Ravenclaw's diadem, see if we can find out more about it and where it might be hidden…"

"I'll talk to the Grey Lady for you Harry."

"Thanks Luna, that sounds good. Three, Bill is going to talk to Gringotts about invoking the charter rights to get hold of the cup in the Lestrange vault. Any other thoughts from anyone?"

"One more thing Harry. If I find the locket, what should I do with it until we can destroy it? I don't know that I like the idea of keeping a bit of old Tom hanging around the house."

"Harry, if I may?"

Harry nodded for Dumbledore to continue.

"I have the ring stored in a Dankov contraption for containment and then placed in a special vault at Hogwarts. I can store the other items if we find them before the stone is ready."

"Will there be an issue keeping them close together?"

"I don't believe so. I have some other containment devices that I can use on the different items and I'll put wards around each as well."

"That sounds fine. Any objections to that plan?"

When no one had further comments or questions, Harry thanked everyone for their help and then the mood lightened as everyone turned their attention to the dessert Molly had prepared. When all the students returned to Hogwarts that night it was only minutes until curfew and everyone separated to their different quarters. Even with horcruxes and Voldemort on their minds, the more immediate matters of schoolwork were foremost as nothing else about the meeting was said throughout Wednesday's classes. After dinner that evening, Luna pulled Harry and Hermione aside to an empty classroom.

"Harry, I've been thinking you need to talk to the Grey Lady. Do you want to come to the Ravenclaw common room now?"

Harry pondered for a moment, but it was Hermione who spoke up.

"Actually Luna, your common room probably isn't the most private. Do you think she would come to our apartment?"

"Hmm, well I usually only see her in the Ravenclaw tower, but she does come to the feasts with the other ghosts. I think though the elves gather the ghosts when it's time for the ghosts to make their entrance."

Harry's eyes brightened.

"Dobby!"

The energetic elf popped in immediately.

"Master Lord Harry Potter sir! What can Dobby be doing for youse?

"Ugh Dobby, just Harry please. We need to talk to the Grey Lady. Can you have her meet us in our apartment in ten minutes?"

"Dobby will try sir, but the Grey Lady not always listen. May Dobby be saying that the Founders' heirs be needing her? She might be listening better then."

"Um sure Dobby, whatever you need to tell her to get her to come."

Dobby popped out as Hermione turned to Luna.

"Luna, can you please notify all the allies to come to our apartment right away? Harry and I'll go up there now."

Luna nodded and skipped out of the classroom as the Potters left to return to their apartment. Minutes after they arrived, their friends joined them. Everyone was still finding seats when Dobby popped in with the Grey Lady floating through the wall behind him.

 _Hermione, maybe you ought to take the lead. You wear the ring of Ravenclaw after all._

Hermione agreed and stepped forward to address the Grey Lady, rubbing her Ravenclaw signet slightly as she did so.

"Dear Lady, thank you for joining us. We have dire matters that need to be handled urgently and we believe you can assist."

"Indeed young one. I am not usually inclined to interfere with the petty matters of the earthly plane, despite my being imprisoned within it. Still, you wear my mother's ring, so I am inclined to help if possible. Ask what you will."

"We are looking for a couple of items that have been tainted by a dark lord who calls himself Voldemort. We have a prophecy that lists one of these items as a 'circlet of wisdom'. We believe it may reference your mother's diadem. The diadem of course is thought to be lost and we wish to know if you have any knowledge of it? The second part of the prophecy says it is in the 'room holding lost tomes', but I have been throughout the library and know of no place there where a diadem can be stored."

"Alas, the item you seek is that which has caused me the most pain. Still, I betrayed my mother once and I will now attempt to make amends with the one who bears her mark. One other came before you, half a century ago. He also sought the diadem and charmed me until I told him where I had left it in the forests of Albania where I had fled to. I believe he quested for it after, although what his ultimate goal was I am uncertain. If your prophecy mentioned a room of lost tomes, then I suggest that you do not ask within the library, but instead talk to the elf who has already led you to the room once. If you find the diadem and it is tainted, then I ask for you to cleanse and return it if possible. If not, at least see to the end of the disgrace."

"Thank you my lady. It is our intention to remove the taint. I am not sure if we will be able to save it after though."

The Grey Lady gave an almost imperceptible nod and floated out of the room as Hermione called for Dobby, who returned immediately.

"Dobby, the Grey Lady was helpful, but she gave us a clue that we need your help with now. We're looking for a 'room of lost tomes'. The Lady said you had already led us there once?"

"Yes! Mistress Lady Potter, Dobby has shown you the Come and Go Room, but it also be known as the Room of Lost Things."

"The Room of Requirement?"

"Yes, it hides much, youse just have to ask the room to show you where youse be needing to hide something and it be there."

"Alright, thanks Dobby."

The elf popped out and Hermione turned and looked at Harry and the others.

"Should we go now?"

Everyone agreed and left the apartment, heading up to the seventh floor. They reached the picture of Barnabas the Barmy and Harry nudged Hermione forward to do the honors. She focused intently on an illicit book that she needed to hide and paced in front of the wall three times. When a different looking door appeared, she grinned at Harry and stepped forward to open it. As they entered the room, everyone stood in stunned amazement. It looked like the world's largest trunk sale had exploded. Hundreds of years of hidden objects were piled everywhere. Ron let out a low whistle as several others shook their heads.

"Alright Luna, so what does this diadem look like?"

"It will look like a tiara, studded with crystals with a large sapphire in the center that is known as the stone of wisdom and is supposed to be the focus of Ravenclaw's power."

"Okay, I guess we should split up. Let's go in pairs in different directions. If you find it, don't touch it. Levitate it and wrap it in cloth or find a box to put it in. Send up blue sparks if you find it. If you get in any kind of trouble, send up red sparks. Be careful. Who knows what all we'll find in here."

Everyone acknowledged Harry's instructions and began to spread out. Harry and Hermione went down the right wall, spotting everything from a mounted troll's head to beaten up old broomsticks. They were searching for about twenty five minutes when suddenly two sets of sparks went up, one blue and one red. Harry immediately started for the blue and then saw the red and began to change directions. Then the red sparks stopped and he and Hermione paused for a moment. When the red sparks didn't come back, they went back in the direction of the blue sparks. Five minutes of twisting through piles of debris found them back with Blaise and Susan. Blaise was holding something wrapped in layers of moth eaten velvet. Ron and Luna were the last one's back and Ron was holding his ear. Everyone looked to him with concern.

"Sorry for the alert guys. We got ambushed by an old fanged Frisbee. It latched onto my ear and I panicked and sent the sparks. Luna got it off me though."

"Alright, glad you're okay. Shall we see what Blaise has?"

Blaise set the item down and carefully unwrapped the layers. Sitting in the fabric was the diadem, just like Luna had described.

"Excellent! That looks like that's it. So, I guess we take it to the headmaster to store?"

"Well, I certainly don't want to keep it in our apartment."

"It sure is beautiful. I hope it survives the cleansing."

"Magical dragon fire…not likely…too bad."

"Anyway, let's wrap it back up and get it to the headmaster. I prefer to get it contained. One more down."

Blaise carefully wrapped the horcrux again and happily handed it to Harry. Everyone then began to wind back out to the door. By mutual agreement, everyone accompanied Harry as he made his way to the headmaster's gargoyle.

 _Harry, you do realize this is a good sign._

 _What is?_

 _You're holding a horcrux in nothing but fabric, no containment. And you're not feeling any pain. Remember what it was like being near the ring before?_

 _Wow. You're right. I don't know why I didn't realize._

They reached the gargoyle, which opened immediately upon seeing Harry and Hermione. The entire group ascended the stairs and the office door was open to them with Dumbledore waiting.

"Ah hello everyone. I must say, I usually don't see so many students at once."

"We solved one of the clues headmaster. We have the lost diadem of Ravenclaw."

"Oh my. You have had a busy night I see. Please, bring it here. I have a containment device, a bit larger than the Dankov contraption."

Dumbledore turned to a cabinet behind him while Harry stepped forward and placed the wrapped diadem on his desk. When Dumbledore turned back around, he set a large, rune engraved silver box on the desk. He then leaned over the wrapped diadem and carefully peeled back the layers of old fabric. Once the diadem was visible, his eyes lit up.

"Yes indeed. This is the famed diadem. I had truly thought it lost."

Dumbledore then drew his wand and ran a few spells over the diadem, which suddenly let out a low hiss and he stopped.

"Well, that confirms this is indeed a horcrux. Pity, it is such a beautiful piece. Well, at least it is found. Now we just need to contain it until it can be cleansed. I'll put it in the box and store it in the dungeon vault."

Dumbledore carefully levitated the diadem into the silver box, closed the lid and then sealed it with several spells that caused the runes to glow. Although Harry's head didn't hurt, once the horcrux was contained, he felt a bit of weight lift off him.

 _I do as well love. I think we all felt a malevolence from it._

"Well once again, thank you all. Is there anything else I can assist with this evening?"

"No headmaster, thank you. Good evening."

Everyone else wished the headmaster a good evening and then left the office and made their way back to the Potter apartment where they spent the rest of the evening working on assignments together.

With another horcrux found, Harry felt a resurgence of hope as he focused on schoolwork and spent another grueling couple of hours training with Tonks on Thursday night. Once the horcruxes were taken care of, he wanted to be ready to fight Voldemort.

On Friday morning, Dobby popped into the apartment just before breakfast with a summons from the headmaster. Harry and Hermione grabbed their book bags and headed up straight away. To their surprise, not only the headmaster was waiting, but so was Sirius and he was grinning. They each gave him a quick hug and then Sirius couldn't hold back any longer.

"Well I found it! And Albus just confirmed it's what we're looking for. I've been turning the house upside down the whole week. Kreacher's been in a right state grumbling at me about it too. Then I woke up early this morning with a sudden thought that I should ask him about the locket. The little bugger was so evasive, I knew something was up. As soon as I told him we needed to destroy it, he actually got helpful. Asked me to help 'finish Master Regulus' work'. Turns out Kreacher was hiding it in his den. Took me a good half hour of round about frustrating questioning to get most of the story. It seems that when Regulus decided to leave Voldemort's side, he had overheard something he wasn't supposed to know. When he left, he retrieved the locket from its hiding place and was trying to figure out how to destroy it. He tried several weapons in the family vault, but nothing could crack it. When he went on the run right before he was killed, he gave it to Kreacher for safe keeping. That elf and my brother always got along better than we did. Anyway, I promised the bugger I'd see it destroyed like Reg wanted."

Harry stepped forward to where Sirius was gesturing and looked into a glass capsule etched in runes, another containment device. The locket was just as described and Harry breathed a sigh knowing that one more was found.

"Well, this is very good news and quite a lot of progress for one week. I'll see that this one is contained in the dungeons as well. I do hope young Charles can arrange that dragon as soon as the rock is available."

"Indeed. Thanks so much Sirius. I guess we should be getting on to breakfast and class."

With a final goodbye, they left the office and the day that started monumental proceeded into more mundane tasks. That evening when the Potters were back in their warded apartment, they shared the good news with their friends.

On Monday, Harry received a letter via owl bearing the seal of Gringotts with an additional side seal attached. It looked quite official and his suspicion was confirmed when he opened it:

 _Lord Potter,_

 _Cursebreaker Weasley has informed us of your quest and asked for our assistance. The Council of Elders has been in contemplation about whether to grant the request. It has been decided that more information is needed, but Cursebreaker Weasley has taken a vow that does not allow him to reveal the specifics. We would like to discuss this with you as soon as possible. Given your class schedule, will Monday at four in the afternoon be acceptable? If so, please reply back with the owl that is waiting._

 _Regards,_

 _Ragnok_

 _Chief Elder of the Goblin Nation_

Hermione heard as Harry read the note and blew out a light breath. Ragnok himself was now in on this.

 _Well, it looks like Quidditch practice this afternoon is out for me. Care to come along?_

 _Actually I think you can handle this Harry. Are you going to tell him about the horcruxes?_

 _I probably should. Hopefully it will convince him. We always knew getting the goblins to help wouldn't be easy. The sanctity of the old vaults is legend. They need a good reason to violate that._

Hermione gave him a hug of support and Harry drafted a quick affirmative reply, sealing it with his house ring. As the owl flew off, they left to return to breakfast and Harry experienced a surreal moment. His thoughts made Hermione chuckle as she agreed.

 _Yes love, this whole business is surreal. Dealing with diplomatic relations to take steps against the worst dark wizard of our times one moment and then off to classes like good little schoolchildren the next._

When they arrived at breakfast, they were still grinning, causing a couple of their friends to look at them curiously. Harry brushed it off and instead delivered the news that he would miss practice that afternoon.

At five minutes until four, Harry floo'd to Gringotts and was greeted by Bill in the arrivals hall. Bill greeted him formally and set the tone for what was to come. Harry had come prepared, dressed in his robes with the Potter crest, and followed Bill through the twisting maze of hallways until they came to a large, carved ebony door. They paused for a moment and Bill knocked. When the doors swung open, Bill stayed behind as Harry stepped in. Although the doors were massive, the office inside was fairly average sized, although every wall featured trophies and weapons. A tall goblin with a stocky build sat behind the desk and stood when Harry entered.

"Hello Lord Potter. Thank you for being prompt. I am Ragnok."

"Good day Chief Ragnok. It is an honor to meet you. I appreciate you giving me your time."

"Yes, yes, now let's talk. And, in case you're wondering, this office has the best privacy wards that are possible. Cursebreaker Weasley has told me that you need us to find a stolen item from the Hufflepuff line that is tainted with dark magic, and would like us to give it to you once found. I need more details on the cup itself and what you consider a 'taint'. Also, there is the issue that there are no descendants from that line. By rights, if we found the cup, it would return to the Nation."

"I understand your concerns Chief Ragnok. I can give you more details, but I wish this information to not go further."

"Well, the final decision will be with the Council of Elders. That's six more, plus myself."

Harry paused for a moment. He needed Ragnok's help, but the idea that there would be seven more with knowledge of the horcruxes was unsettling. Ragnok immediately read his concern.

"Lord Potter, let me speak clearly. I am more open minded than some others. Wizards and goblins have a difficult history. With that, I have learned to not judge all by a few. I was personally acquainted with your grandfather and met your father several times. The Potters have always dealt fairly and with honor. Would you accept my oath that this will go no further than the Council?"

"Yes Chief Ragnok. That would be appreciated."

Ragnok stood and picked up a silver dagger from his desk. He drew it across one finger and then turned behind him to where the seal of Gringotts was displayed as a large, carved medallion in gold. He pressed his finger to the seal and spoke loudly.

"I, Ragnok, Chief Elder of the Goblin Nation, foreswear that the information divulged by Lord Potter this day will be kept only within the Council of Elders and hereby bind all the elders by my oath to the same."

Once he finished reciting the oath in English, Ragnok next spoke in the goblin language and the medallion glowed briefly when he finished. Once he pulled his hand away, he waved his other hand over the finger and healed himself before sitting down again to face Harry.

"Thank you Chief Ragnok. I believe when you hear what I have to tell you, the reason for my concern will be obvious."

Harry then proceeded to give a brief history of Tom Marvolo Riddle and the memory of Hephzibah Smith and the cup, and how it was believed to have been stolen upon her death. Then he explained about the horcruxes and the fact that a number had already been found and were being held to wait for cleansing. Finally, he explained about the intended method of cleansing that was being arranged. As he spoke, Ragnok let out a hiss and it seemed obvious that he was aware of the dark magic involved. When Harry finished, he waited for a response.

"Alright Lord Potter, this does explain quite a bit. And the oath is understood. I will call an emergency meeting of the Council. I am certain that they will agree now that we know the reason for this. If we do locate a stolen goblin artifact in the Lestrange vault, by the charter we have the right to seize half the vault's value as fine for the crime. For notifying us of this item, you will receive twenty percent of that value. As for cleansing the cup, I ask that you let us examine the cup and try to discover a way to cleanse it ourselves. If we cannot, we will turn it over to you personally to proceed with your current plan. Because the Hufflepuff line is extinct, I ask only that you return whatever remains of it once you are done."

"That sounds more than fair Chief Ragnok. I only wish to know once it is removed and secure. As for my percentage of the fine, I honestly don't want or need it, but I'll consider what to do with that in the future."

"Very good. I will notify you as soon as the Council meets. I would expect by sometime tomorrow."

Harry rose and thanked the Chief, then turned and left the office. Bill was waiting outside and Harry indicated that it went well. They walked back to the floo and Harry returned to Hogwarts in a bit under an hour since he had left.

Once he was back, Harry went immediately to the library to meet up with Hermione and some of their friends to spend an hour or so studying before dinner. He gave her a brief update mentally so that she knew they were back to waiting.

After dinner, they had training with Tonks and Harry was now thinking about a different focus for himself. They started with the usual warm up exercises, including four laps around a provided track in the room. As he ran, Harry talked to Hermione.

 _I've been thinking about our training Mione and what's left of the horcruxes. I think I need to start working on how to fight Nagini._

Hermione gave a mental shiver before responding.

 _I suppose that makes sense, but I still hate it. Anyway, how are you going to find the snake?_

 _I've been thinking about this. She's a big snake. That means she needs food and big food. And snakes typically like live prey. That means she needs to hunt. If we can figure out where Voldemort is, then we know she will be hunting nearby. I have to assume since she's a horcrux that she is smarter than an average snake and will know where Voldemort's ward perimeters are. I was thinking I may be able to call her out using Parseltongue. Then, once she's beyond the wards, I can fight her._

 _Or get someone else, or several other people to help. Remember, this doesn't have to all be you._

 _Of course you're right. We wouldn't have gotten this far without our allies._

 _So, maybe we all train to fight the snake. I wonder if the room can create snake dummies?_

 _I have another idea…_

Harry gave Hermione a vision of his idea, which only made her shiver again. They finished their running and stopped back in front of Tonks, only slightly out of breath. Tonks returned to drilling them on Transfiguration shields, which had been causing a few of the group some difficulty. They spent the next half hour using debris on a simulated battlefield to transfigure into different types of shields to block spells. Once they'd practiced for a bit, Harry made his way over to their instructor.

"Tonks, this is going better and I was wondering if we could try something new."

"Sure Harry, what do you have in mind?"

"I want to practice fighting a snake. A large snake. I was thinking serpentsortia and an engorgio would give us what we need. Oh and maybe de-fang it somehow. Can a summoned snake poison you?"

 _I think so Harry. The spell should be deostium._

"Hermione says the spell is deostium and the snake would be able to poison me."

"Hmm, alright. Planning on meeting Voldie's pet sometime soon? Let's start with just yourself first and see how this goes. I know you can call it off, but I want to be ready to curse it if needed."

Harry nodded and visualized a dueling ring as the room adjusted. He started with the serpentsortia spell and a good size cobra appeared in front of him. He tried the deostium next and then the engorgio. The snake grew at a gradual pace until Harry poured more magic into the spell. He had to cut it off quickly as he soon had a cobra the size of Nagini. A couple of his friends behind him groaned and made retching noises. The snake began attacking and soon he found himself dancing with it, only sending minor curses in an attempt to get more time to watch how it moved. It was an interesting exercise that was completely different from any other duels. After twelve minutes, the summoned snake had taken enough minor hits that the magic needed to hold it together failed and it disappeared. Harry was a bit winded, but quite glad for the practice.

"Well that was interesting. Definitely different than dueling a person. Thanks Tonks."

"No worries, I think it's a good exercise. Anyone else want to give it a go?"

A couple of the group seemed hesitant, but when the majority quickly volunteered, everyone agreed to split into pairs and switch off. One person would stay on guard while the other dueled the snake. They all practiced the three spells first and then Harry began to circle the room and watch for problems, ready to use parseltongue if needed. The exercise went well for the first five minutes or so, but then Ron was nearly struck by his snake until Harry called it off. Ron wasn't willing to try again, so he stepped aside to watch as the others went for another few minutes. Eventually the summoned snakes started disappearing and soon the time of their session drew to a close. After their warm down, everyone began to leave before curfew, but Harry held back to talk to Tonks. She agreed to continue the snake drills for a couple more sessions at least and Harry became a bit more confident that they were preparing for the horcrux that would 'trouble the most'.

The following morning Harry was hoping for a note from Gringotts, but none arrived, so he was left to continue on to classes with an added distraction. Just before lunch, Dobby popped in to the library and delivered a message that he was needed at the headmaster's office once again. Harry had been making a lot of trips up to the office lately and was tempted to ask Dobby to just pop him up there, but he knew that would be rude and instead gathered his books since it was almost lunch anyway. Hermione joined him and laced her fingers with his as they walked together in companionable silence.

Upon reaching the office, Dumbledore gestured to a table near the fireplace where a floo delivered envelope awaited. It bore the seal of Gringotts with the side seal of Ragnok. This time the seal had an extra inscription that Harry recognized as the blood binding with his name. He dug in his bag and found his potions knife to prick his finger with. As soon as his blood touched the seal, it smoked and cracked open. The letter inside showed the need for such security:

 _Lord Potter,_

 _The Council of Elders met yesterday evening and was quite shocked with the news that I delivered. They agreed immediately to the search, which then proceeded first thing this morning. The cup was indeed found within the Lestrange vault. It has no ties to that family and has been deemed a stolen artifact. An initial examination does show the dark magic that has been inflicted on the artifact. We are unsure if it can be cleaned, but more examinations are underway. In the meantime, it is being stored under the highest security. If we cannot cleanse it before your other method is available, I have authorization from the Council to yield it to your possession for that purpose. In addition, the fine has been levied on the Lestrange vault. Your percentage total of the fine for the information leading to the recovery of the stolen artifact totals 921,319 galleons and has been deposited to your vault._

 _Regards,_

 _Ragnok_

 _Chief Elder of the Goblin Nation_

As Harry finished reading, the parchment disintegrated and vanished. Harry was left happy, but stunned. Hermione's touch on his arm broke his shock as he turned to the headmaster.

"Headmaster, that note was from Gringotts. The cup is in their possession and they have confirmed a dark taint on it. They will try to remove it, but if they cannot, the Council has agreed to let me take the cup and proceed with our plans for the removal."

"Excellent! I must say, this is amazing progress. That set of clues you received has certainly moved us forward. That now leaves only Nagini. Finding and isolating her though will be a task.

"Yes sir. That is something else I've been considering. I need some additional time though."

"Well, please don't do anything rash. That is a most dangerous beast."

Harry nodded and said goodbye to the headmaster. He knew Dumbledore was concerned, but now that he was bonded with Hermione, his propensity for rash moves was severely curbed. Still, it had been a fruitful couple of weeks since they returned from France and he was feeling decidedly more hopeful.


	22. Political Maneuvering

**I'm back! Sorry for the delay, I lost my muse for a while. I ended up chasing down and taking out a plot bunny with a new medium length story. _Different Dreams_ was published a couple of weeks ago and will be twelve chapters, with seven posted so far. It's a post battle story with a twist. Anyway, I kept working on HB as well, but then hand surgery slowed me down. I found out that I am very slow typing with one hand. I am doing better and can type a bit now, although the stitches are still in. I did manage to write in a couple of short sessions and finish this chapter. Hope you enjoy.**

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Chapter 22 – Political Maneuvering

The next three weeks continued apace for the Potters and all their friends. Two weeks after Harry and Hermione returned from France, Hogwarts let out for a week's break. The Grangers had a trip planned with a group of friends that had been in the works for two years, so Harry and Hermione decided to stay at school while Jean and Neil enjoyed their two weeks of river cruising. They missed the Grangers, who also lamented over not seeing them, but with OWLs looming, there was plenty to keep them busy. About half their friends left, but many stayed and the week was well used to catch up on schoolwork.

With the horcrux gone, Harry found himself sleeping better and had no more incidents of headaches related to Voldemort's emotions. While he was happy with the change from a personal perspective, part of him wished that he might still have a bit of insight into what Voldemort was up to. Each arrival of the Daily Prophet brought a sense of trepidation as the Great Hall grew quiet and every student checked for bad news. One second year muggleborn left the school abruptly and the word was that his parents had been targeted and he had been sent to out of country relatives. In addition, the Death Eaters were up to their usual games in targeting random muggles. The attacks followed the Death Eaters' pattern of arriving quick, wreaking havoc and murder, and then portkeying or apparating away. Harry knew he shouldn't feel responsible, but each attack made him itch to do something and he silently sent encouragement to the miners in Russia to hurry up with the stone they needed. Hermione felt his concern and did what she could to reassure him, but she understood Harry's frustration. Without her though, Harry knew he would have been in much worse condition.

One thing that Harry could do was to prepare for the ultimate battles that were still to come. Each morning he was up early to run with Hermione and their friends. The grounds of Hogwarts had now thawed and they enjoyed the crisp Scottish air in the mornings. After, they all went to the Room of Requirement for strength training before getting ready for a day of classes. Tonks continued to teach two nights a week, with only one exception when she was called away for other duties. While she added a couple of new spells, she began to instead focus on linking spell chains together and improving speed and reflexes even more. Harry insisted on continuing his snake drills. Some of the others weren't as happy and sat the drills out, but Hermione always gritted her teeth and stayed right alongside him.

After nearly three weeks running the drills, Harry thought that he was as ready as ever and wanted to go look for Nagini. April was now waning and the weather had warmed enough that he hoped a cold blooded reptile would be prone to roaming more. The problem still was getting an idea of where Voldemort and his blasted familiar were. For that reason he decided it was time to talk to one of his allies in particular and sent a sealed letter to Amelia at her home, requesting a private meeting as soon as possible.

Amelia replied the next day and Harry arranged for him and Hermione to visit Bones Manor the following evening at eight. He was anxious to feel like he was doing something for a change and the news that morning of a major attack on a small muggle village didn't help at all. The Aurors arrived as usual just as the Death Eaters were fleeing. They just couldn't seem to respond quick enough, which Harry and Hermione both wondered about. Once again stuck with schoolwork, they left for classes carrying the Daily Prophet and it's bad news. The day seemed to drag and both were looking forward to their meeting with Amelia that evening.

Shortly after lunch, Harry and Hermione were on the way to Potions when a third year ran up to them with a sealed message. Since they still had a few minutes until class, they stepped aside and Harry read the brief message.

 _Lord and Lady Potter,_

 _A message has been received from your ally cancelling your meeting this evening with deep regret. There is much happening today that must be attended to. Please meet at my office at three after your last class._

 _Dumbledore_

Harry growled in frustration and wadded up the note as Hermione put a comforting hand on his arm.

 _Harry love, there must be a good reason. Or maybe a bad reason. We'll talk to Dumbledore in a couple of hours._

 _I know, but it's just so damn frustrating! I want to do something, not sit here like a good little schoolboy._

 _I feel the same way, but it won't help anyone to go running off without good intelligence. We need to talk to Amelia since we haven't in several weeks._

Harry nodded, feeling mildly calmed, but not completely. Hermione took him by a hand and led him to Potions. The class didn't inspire him and Professor Tonks' usually calm demeanor even seemed to be flustered. When the class dismissed, she held them back for a moment.

"Harry, what is wrong? Your work is not up to the standards I am used to. Your furious stirring of the bright eyes potion completely soured it."

"Sorry professor. I've got a lot on my mind. It's too bloody quiet. At least here at school. Elsewhere the Death Eaters seem to have free rein. It's hard to just sit here."

"I understand, but you need to calm your emotions and focus. Losing control when the battle does come to you won't help matters. Now, since your potion curdled so badly it couldn't be submitted, I would like twelve inches of parchment explaining why movement effects the particular ingredients in this potion so severely."

Harry suppressed a groan and nodded. Just what he needed, more mindless work. He grumbled a goodbye to the professor and followed Hermione out of the room as she led the way to the headmaster's office. The gargoyle passed them through quickly and then they were standing at Dumbledore's door. When he called them in, Harry stalked in with annoyance, as Hermione continued to try to calm him. Dumbledore looked over his glasses at Harry and pondered his mood.

"Good afternoon Lord and Lady Potter. Is something the matter?"

"No, nothing is the matter! Everything is normal here at Hogwarts! Nothing of note at all. Well, except for the newspapers constantly delivering more bad news that I can't do shit about!"

"Ah, I see, the problem of waiting. I can sympathize. I've experienced similar situations at different times during my career. Several times during the last war. The best thing to do is to continue to prepare and gather intelligence so that you are ready when the opportunity comes. I suppose your intended meeting with Madam Bones was for intelligence gathering?"

Harry gave rough nod as he finally sat down next to Hermione.

"Well, I know Madam Bones was looking forward to your meeting, but other events took precedence unfortunately. You'll see it all in the morning, but as a member of the Wizengamot, I would imagine an owl is on the way now. There is an emergency session tonight. The last attack on the town of Dorpson Heath saw seventy killed. Included in that were the muggle cousins of Lord Sanford, one of the minor houses, but he is still well connected. Fudge was barely hanging on before, but this last attack was too much. He is being called forward to submit for a vote of no confidence. If that passes, I have been informed that several lords will push for an immediate vote on a replacement. It is a bit unusual, but given the circumstances, I believe the vote is probable. Also, I wish to offer to accompany you to the session. Unless you feel guards are necessary?"

Harry's eyes grew wide as he took in the information. It was good news to hear that Fudge had finally gone too far with his blindness. Obviously this took precedence over anything else and he felt himself cool down a bit. He pondered the question of guards only briefly, but thought he would be fine. He had attended two Wizengamot sessions since his first. Both times Amelia had Tonks accompany him and, other than the usual sneers from certain factions, he had experienced no issues. His thoughts were interrupted by Hermione's.

 _Wow. The Ministry must be in a furor right now. I can only imagine how busy the DMLE is today._

Harry silently agreed with his wife and personally chastised himself for feeling slighted at the cancellation of the meeting, when there was a very good cause. Taking a deep breath, he looked up to Dumbledore.

"This is indeed momentous news sir. Thank you for the advance warning. I suppose I should make sure Dobby has my Wizengamot robes ready."

At the sound of his name, the elf popped in.

"Lord Harry Potter sir! Youse be needing the big robes?"

"Um, yes Dobby, but not for a few hours probably."

Dobby nodded and popped out to do his bidding as Dumbledore smirked at the elf's devotion.

"Well he certainly is efficient. Thank you for the offer to accompany me sir, I will gladly accept. So far I haven't had any outright threats, but with a meeting this monumental, I expect that emotions will run high."

Dumbledore agreed and then Hermione took her husband's hand and stood to leave the office.

"Thank you for the information headmaster. I suppose we should get some studying done before Harry is called away to the meeting."

Harry followed her out of the office and they returned to their apartment. With OWLs now only about ten weeks away, it was a constant struggle to keep up with their workload. They had barely sat down at the table when a screech owl arrived at the window. Hermione let it in while Hedwig eyed the intruder carefully. When Harry removed the letter it carried, he saw the familiar seal of the Wizengamot and opened it quickly. The note inside was brief and to the point.

 _Well, it's official. Emergency session of the Wizengamot at seven. I should probably try to eat before. Who knows how long it will take._

Hermione agreed and they studied for a couple of hours. About a half hour after they started, their friends began arriving to join them as usual. While everyone was busy with a mountain of work, it felt good to have his friends around him, even if each person was focused on their own work and the room was silent. Promptly at six, Harry and Hermione packed up and headed for dinner. Usually they would wait a few minutes, but their friends all agreed and no one asked why they were going down a bit early. Their group was some of the first in the dining hall and the food had yet to arrive. As soon as everyone was seated though, an array of dishes appeared before them. Although no elves were visible, Harry called out a thank you to Dobby and everyone began eating. When the rest of the school started to file in, they seemed a bit surprised by the early diners, but soon were distracted by their own food.

At six thirty, Harry gave Hermione a deep kiss and excused himself from the table. Although no one voiced the question, Hermione knew what they were thinking.

"Emergency Wizengamot session everyone. We'll know more later."

Ginny let out a low whistle and shook her head. Once everyone finished dessert, they all decided to retreat to the library for some research.

While Hermione and their friends continued with the usual routine of homework, Harry made his way from the dining hall and back to their apartment. Once he was there, Dobby popped in and delivered his pressed and ready robes. He added his robe clasp as well and then tried to flatten his hair as best as possible. Once he was set, he quickly went to the headmaster's office and found Dumbledore ready and waiting.

"Very good Lord Potter. Thank you for allowing us ample time. Shall we?"

Harry nodded and followed Dumbledore through the floo. They stepped out in the Ministry atrium and saw more traffic than would be usual for that hour. A number of people turned to look at Dumbledore, who had started a conversation with Harry about the merits of the different house Quidditch teams. Harry knew the headmaster was trying to keep the mood as light as possible and appreciated it. When they reached the lifts, the other Wizengamot members made room for the Chief Warlock and they were soon nearing the Wizengamot chambers. As they passed by Crabbe Sr. talking to Yaxley, both men glared at Harry, but stayed well back of Dumbledore. Harry had to admit that the man cut as wide a swath through the crowds as his goblin guard had.

Once they were in chambers, they separated and Harry immediately made his way toward Matron Longbottom. She turned to greet him with a smile.

"Good evening Lord Potter. I'm glad you came since you missed the last session."

"Of course I couldn't miss this. The last session was strictly budgetary and most of the items were worked out well before. The matter of a new Minister is something else entirely."

At that moment, Madam Bones joined them and looked at Harry.

"Lord Potter, you seem to think the matter of the vote is a foregone conclusion?"

"Well, I certainly hope so. Fudge's blindness has been digging a hole for the Ministry. I would hope others could see the same."

"You hope for a lot my young lord. Although the enthusiasm and simplicity of youth is refreshing, I've grown jaded since long before I took the Longbottom seat. I certainly hope for the same outcome, but I anticipate a long night. Tell me, if Fudge is ousted, what are your thoughts on an immediate replacement?"

"The sooner the better. Fudge has already wasted enough time. I suppose the question then is who will replace him? Madam Bones, is it not traditional for the head of the DMLE to be a common candidate?"

"Yes, although I don't know if I'm comfortable with it. And I don't know if anyone is planning on putting me name forward."

"Well, you have my support if you wish. We need someone with a martial background right now."

Harry nodded along with Matron Longbottom's statement and then Sirius appeared. Further talk was ended by the booming voice of Dumbledore calling everyone to their seats. After a few minutes of shuffling, the buzz in the hall quieted and the Chief Warlock began the incantation to start the session and seal the room before introducing the reason for the session.

"Good evening everyone. Thank you for attending this 192nd special session of the Wizengamot. Events of the past weeks have prompted us to respond to the dire circumstances we find ourselves faced with. Lord Sanford, I believe it is your place to make the first motion."

"Thank you Chief Warlock. Two nights ago my house lost two dear cousins due to the terrorist activities of the Death Eaters. This was just the latest in a sequence of attacks totaling twenty-three in the last month. Casualties have ranged from two to seventy-one, with the last being the worst. Myself and others have tried to speak to Minister Fudge on multiple occasions, but he has been denouncing me as quote: 'a fear-mongering imbecile'. Our country is obviously under attack and we need strong and decisive leadership. I officially submit for a vote of no confidence against Cornelius Fudge on the grounds that he has failed to protect the magical people of Britain."

Lord Sanford sat and a moment later Lord Selwyn stood.

"I second the motion for a vote of no confidence."

That brought a murmur through the hall. The House of Selwyn was a minor house and historically careful about maintaining neutrality. As the murmur grew, the Chief Warlock called the chambers to attention and regained control.

"Thank you Lords Sanford and Selwyn. Per the charter of this body, the seconded motion is accepted and will be put to a vote. As is usual, the accused may now speak on his behalf. Once he is finished, others can request three minutes apiece to speak for or against the motion. Minister Fudge, the floor is yours."

Fudge stood, looking rather pink and flushed at the accusations. The combination with his green hat was quite astonishing. He took a moment to collect his thoughts as he glared at the two lords.

"Lord Sanford, while I have expressed my condolences on you recent loss, we cannot let personal grief cloud our decisions on the best path for all of magical Britain. I have not seen conclusive proof that any supposed Dark Lord has returned. What we are dealing with is a few small groups of thugs that the DMLE needs to deal with. I believe the question of these continued attacks needs to be placed with Director Bones and her department. We must remain cautious. Panic will only cause the situation to worsen, as well as impacting our businesses and economy. I call for those who have stood by myself and my house to do so once again in the face of these spurious charges."

Fudge sat, looking a bit smug as he obviously called in alliances and thought himself safe. Harry took a moment to breathe, wishing Hermione was next to him to help calm him down, then he raised his wand to get the Chief Warlock's attention. Dumbledore nodded briefly at him and then addressed chambers.

"Thank you for your statement Minister Fudge. I now recognize Lord Potter, who has three minutes to speak."

Harry stood and rubbed his signet lightly as he held his head up and gazed around the chambers.

"Thank you Chief Warlock, I will try to be brief. In regards to Minister Fudge's statement that he has received no conclusive proof about Voldemort's return…"

Harry's use of the Dark Lord's name caused the space to buzz and the Chief Warlock had to call the room to attention, while also resetting Harry's time counter.

"As I was saying, I have evidence that proves Minister Fudge was told about the Dark Lord's return. Since everyone here is scared of a silly fake name, then I will call him Tom Riddle. That is the name he was born with, named after his muggle father by his witch mother moments before she died after giving birth. And before anyone here denies it, I know this because his shade told me when I faced him during my second year at Hogwarts. He also answered to that name after I was witness to his resurrection last June. I submitted my statement to that fact under oath in the Minister's presence. I can assure you that my magic has worked fine since, so I did not falsify my statement under oath. In addition, I provided a pensieve memory to Director Bones. I believe she was going to try to show it to the Minister, although I have no idea if she was ever successful. As for the Minister's fear of economic and business impact, I think anyone who wanders down Diagon Alley right now will see that the recent attacks have already caused people to start running. As for the DMLE's response to the attacks, they have been hampered by constant funding cutbacks and the Minister's regular refusal for special allocations. The funding and allocation records are public record and anyone can verify that statement. I stand with Lords Sanford and Selwyn and call my allies to do the same. It is time to take the blinders off, prepare for war, fight and defeat Voldemort once and for all."

Harry's voice grew every so gradually louder and more forceful as he spoke. When he finished, the sudden silence was deafening, but lasted only moments before the first clap was heard. Then a few other claps joined in until the Chief Warlock called for silence again. Several spoke for the Minister, including Malfoy, Crabbe, and Zabini. Another half dozen spoke against the Minister, including Longbottom, Greengrass, Edgecombe, and several lesser houses. Once no one else raised a wand to speak, the Chief Warlock stood.

"Thank you to everyone for your statements and your dedication to these proceedings. As no one else has signaled to speak, let us take the vote. As you all know, a no confidence vote is by two thirds quorum only. The vote is silent using the devices in front of each of your seats. Place your wand on the voting block if you vote in agreement. If you wish to vote for Minister Fudge to remain, keep your wands away. You will have two minutes."

The chambers grew quiet as Harry placed his wand on the voting block. He looked up to see that Fudge was visibly sweating and didn't look as polished as usual. Finally, the long minutes passed and the Chief Warlock stood again.

"The vote is complete. I have a no confidence vote totaling 71 percent. Cornelius Oswald Fudge, you are hereby relieved of your duties as Minister of Magic."

The chambers began to hum with multiple conversations again as Fudge was escorted out by two Auror guards. The Chief Warlock gave everyone a minute and then called for order. As he spoke, another wand was raised and Dumbledore's attention turned to Lord Macmillan, who he gave a slight nod to.

"Thank you Chief Warlock. I wish to introduce a motion for an immediate placement for a new Minister. Since we are already under attack, I don't feel we can wait."

"I second that motion."

Once Sirius had seconded the motion, Dumbledore called for an immediate vote. Since the matter was mainly procedural, only a standard majority was needed. When that was completed, Dumbledore announced that it had passed easily, signaling the next phase of the historical session. The first person to raise their wand and be acknowledged after the vote for an immediate replacement was Matron Longbottom.

"I wish to nominate Madam Amelia Bones to the position. With a war beginning, we need strong leadership with a law enforcement background."

As she spoke, Augusta looked pointedly at Harry and he took his cue.

"I second Matron Longbottom's nomination of Madam Bones."

Dumbledore nodded at Harry and turned back to look around the chambers.

"Duly noted. Our first nominee is Madam Amelia Bones. Madam Bones, do you accept the nomination?"

Amelia hid her feelings well, despite her reservations on accepting. Still, she was a public servant and never had magical Britain needed her more. She had no husband or children and Susan was in school for ten months out of the year. She had the time needed to dedicate to the office. She stood and looked first at Augusta, then Harry, and finally Dumbledore.

"Yes Chief Warlock, I am honored to accept the nomination."

Amelia sat and next to raise a wand was Richard Selwyn, who nominated Rufus Scrimgeour. After him, Malfoy raised his wand and nominated Lord Yaxley. Finally, Scion Travers nominated Lady Bulstrode. Surprisingly, the woman declined the nomination. With no other nominations forthcoming, Dumbledore officially acknowledge the three nominees and then opened the floor to any wishing to speak.

"Thank you to all the members who have nominated and seconded nominees. I will now open the discussion to any who wish to speak for one of the individuals. Raise your wand and you will be granted three minutes to speak for your candidate. Under the Wizengamot charter, you are not allowed to accuse the other candidates of any untoward actions. If I hear anyone attempting slander, I will silence you and your time will end. Mr. Burke, your wand was raised first, please proceed…"

A half dozen individuals spoke, with three of those speaking for Amelia, including Arthur. Harry found it interesting that the lesser houses could speak, although they couldn't vote. Harry was acknowledged as the seventh to speak and he rose to speak for Amelia, pointing out that there had never been anything to bring her character into question, unlike certain others who had already shown their weakness by susceptibility to the imperius curse. While he said this, his eyes settled on Yaxley and then flitted to Malfoy. Both glared at him, but because he hadn't specifically named anyone, they couldn't argue for slander. Still, no one missed where his gaze settled. He sat after his three minutes and was left to listen to the continued arguments. Finally, after nineteen individuals had taken their allotted time and spoken, no one else raised their wands. Dumbledore called for the vote.

"Thank you to everyone for your impassioned pleas and participation this evening. We must now vote on new leadership for the Ministry during these dark times. Given that we have three candidates, we have some specific rules as laid out in our charter. A candidate must receive a majority vote out of a division of two, meaning that we must first eliminate one of the three candidates. I will now ask that all of the voting members raise your wands and light them blue if you wish to vote for Madam Bones. Light them green if you wish to vote for Lord Yaxley. And light them red if you wish to vote for Mr. Scrimgeour."

Wands went up around the chamber as colors were ignited. Looking around, Harry was happy to see a large proportion of blue. Dumbledore cast a quick charm and a tally appeared in the air in front of him.

"Thank you for your initial vote. From the three candidates, Lord Yaxley has the least votes at nineteen percent. He is now eliminated from the vote. Thank you Lord Yaxley for your desire to lead us through these difficult times. Now, we have two candidates left and a majority of votes will determine our next Minister of Magic. Please now raise your wands and light them blue for Madam Bones or red for Mr. Scrimgeour."

Again wands went up, although a few were slower as some seemed to

take a minute to decide. Dumbledore sat back in his chair, not wanting to rush anyone's decision. Once the final vote was raised, he waited one more minute, but no votes were changed and he cast the charm to tally the votes. Harry carefully schooled his occlumency as it was obvious that Amelia had won. The Chief Warlock stood again as all wands were lowered.

"The final vote is tallied. With fifty eight percent of the vote, it is my honor to announce that the Wizengamot has selected Madam Amelia Bones as our next Minister of Magic. Madam Bones, please step forward to take your oath."

Amelia strode into the center of the chambers and stood in front of the Chief Warlock. She raised her wand and incanted as she swore on her life and magic, using an oath from the early days of the Ministry. The language was archaic, but the meaning remained. Once she finished, Dumbledore cast a final charm over her and then she sealed her own incantation. Dumbledore smiled at her and then returned his attention to the chambers.

"With this, the exceptional business of the evening is concluded. My thanks for your dutiful attendance and participation. I wish our new Minister the best and implore everyone in these chambers to assist her with the monumental tasks she has before her. Good evening."

Harry suppressed a sigh, glad that it was over. He wanted to talk to Amelia, but he was just one of the crowd who wished to do so. She was already taking control though and had called Kingsley and several others over. After giving them orders, they left the chambers quickly to begin organizing meetings for later in the evening and the next morning. Harry was surprised when Tonks appeared at his side.

"Wotcher Lord Potter. Minister Bones sent me over. Can you please follow me?"

Harry nodded and looked quickly to Dumbledore, who nodded when he saw that Harry had a new guard and escort. The young Auror parted the crowds as Harry quickly said goodbye to several individuals who tried to waylay them. As they exited chambers, Tonks led them a short distance away to a small conference room. Once they were in and the room was secure, she turned back to Harry.

"Wow, that was a singularly monumental evening. I have to say, you're turning into a bit of an orator Lord Potter."

Harry snorted.

"Not really. I hate speaking in front of crowds, but I know that it comes with the position. Hermione has been working with me on my speaking skills."

"So, was she here with you tonight?"

"I wish. No, our mind speech doesn't extend more than a kilometer or a bit more. We haven't tested precisely. She can talk to me from the castle when I'm on the pitch, but if I go much farther, it's harder. Our bond is always there, but not the speech."

Any further discussion on the matter was interrupted when Amelia strode into the room. She glanced at Tonks, who took the hint and stepped out of the room to wait outside. Amelia sat for a moment and Harry took the seat she gestured to across from her.

"Well Amelia, I guess congratulations should be in order, although I don't know if that's true after what you've just been handed. I am grateful that you are Minister now though."

"You have that right Harry. Thank you for speaking for me. I'm still a bit torn about all this, but now is not the time to sort my own feelings. I'm going to need pepper-ups before this night is over. I don't have a lot of time, but I know you wanted to speak with me and my calendar hasn't had a chance to fill up quite yet."

"Yes, thanks for taking a moment for me. My initial request to meet with you was to discuss any surveillance you might have to determine where Voldemort is hiding out currently."

"Why? You don't plan on taking the location single-handedly I hope?"

"No, but I want to make a tactical strike. Specifically, I want to go snake hunting."

Amelia blew out a breath and nodded.

"I see. Tonks told me about your drills. Part of me wants to yell at you for being bloody insane, but the other part realizes that you're uniquely qualified for that hunt. Unfortunately, my forces have been spread too thin to run the surveillance we need. One of my first tasks is to find the funds to strengthen the Auror corps. Even being able to offer overtime will help. I've had my hands tied for too long. Once I do get some leads, I'll put the word out to watch for an exceptionally large snake. It may take a while yet. As much as I want to change everything, it will be difficult to get the momentum going."

"I understand, and that brings up something else I wanted to discuss. When the stolen artifact was recovered from the Lestrange vault by the goblins, I was granted a percentage of the fine. The total I received was a bit over 921,000 galleons. I have no desire to profit from the recovery, so I want to donate the money, rounded to one million galleons, to the Auror department. I figure this will help pay for overtime, equipment, or whatever else is needed. Where should I have Gringotts transfer the money to?"

"Wow. I hadn't realized that the Lestranges were fined that heavily. I suppose this is a special kind of irony to use the money to fight the Dark Lord. Please have the bank contact my office directly to arrange the account details. I'm naming Kingsley to take over the DMLE and we are due to meet later this evening. I'll let him know about the donation."

"That sounds good. I'll send an owl to my account manager in the morning. I should be getting back now and I know you have a long evening and long days ahead. Please remember your allies. If there is anything I can help your administration with, please let me know. It will be good to have competency finally."

"Thank you Lord Potter. I do have one request. I know I should tell her myself, but the late hour and my meetings won't allow for me to contact Susan. Can you let her and the rest of the allies at school know what has transpired tonight. I'll try to talk to Susan as soon as I can. I'm a bit worried that my position may bring undue attention to her."

"Of course. I'll get everyone together for a meeting when I return. As for Susan, I'll make sure that word spreads to remind everyone that she is under the protection of House Potter."

Amelia smiled warmly and rose to leave. Harry clasped her hand in both of his and wished her well once again as he followed her out. Outside, Kingsley and several others were waiting for her and took her off in one direction while Tonks escorted Harry the other way back to the atrium. Once there, he floo'd back to the headmaster's office. Dumbledore hadn't returned yet and Harry knew it was just past curfew, so he decided to call Dobby to take him back to the apartment directly. As soon as he arrived, Hermione was waiting and ran for him, a thousand questions bombarding him mentally.

 _Please hang on a moment love. I need to get all our friends here._

"Dobby, please don't pop out yet. I have more tasks for you on this busy night."

"Of course Master Harry sir."

"I need you to collect all of our friends from their different common rooms and towers. Curfew is just past, so I don't think anyone will be asleep yet. I can get them excused from curfew under Founders' rights, but I think it would be easier to just have you pop them in. Is that too many?"

"Not at all Master Harry sir. Dobby be right back."

Not more than a minute later, Dobby returned with the twins, followed each minute by another pair of their friends from around the different houses. Blaise came last by himself. Everyone quickly found seats while Dobby went to collect hot chocolate and biscuits. Soon everyone was settled with steaming mugs while they listened to Harry detail the events of the evening. Susan leaned against Blaise as she absorbed the monumental news. She seemed stunned and Hermione looked at her with concern.

"Are you alright Suse?"

"What? Yes, I'm fine Hermione. Just shocked I suppose. I knew Aunty Amy was on the short list for minister in the next ten years, but to have it come this sudden will take a bit to get used to. I suppose I'll need to be even more careful from now on."

"Amelia was worried about that and I assured her that I am going to spread the word again to remind everyone that you are under House Potter protection."

"And the rest of us are here for you Susan. You're not alone."

"Thanks everyone. I just need to meditate for a while and let it sink in. Thanks for telling us all right away Harry. I know Aunt Amy will contact me as soon as she can. I can't even imagine everything she's going to be dealing with. Anyway, I think I need to get back and try to sleep on this."

Everyone else agreed as they finished their hot chocolate and Harry called Dobby back to return them to their dorms and common rooms. He didn't like to ask the elf to do so much, but Dobby seemed happy to do so and the unique situation made it the easiest way. Once everyone had left and Dobby cleared the dishes, Harry retreated back to the warmth of his bed and Hermione's arms. They practiced a bit of light meditation and soon drifted off together.


	23. Duel

Chapter 23 – Duel

After the monumental Wizengamot session, life settled back into the boring normalcy that made Harry anxious. The Prophet's arrival each morning was met with anticipation and dread. The attacks by Death Eaters continued, although they appeared to be mainly focusing on small groups of muggles. Hermione made the observation that the incidents seemed to be training runs designed to keep Voldemort's forces sharpened and ready. Harry agreed, but the knowledge didn't help lessen the death toll. Even with only two, three, or four being tortured and killed at a time, each one still weighed on him as he wished to do more.

A bit over a week after the Wizengamot session, Harry received a note from the headmaster and he and Hermione headed to the office after Charms. When they arrived, Dumbledore was out, but had left a note sitting on the small table as he had before. Picking it up, Harry saw it was from Monsieur Delacour. He opened it with a drop of his blood and read the brief note.

 _Lord Potter,_

 _The stone has been secured and is awaiting transport. Please advise on destination._

 _JLDAD_

Harry felt a brief moment of elation and then his mind turned to what to do next. He hadn't heard from Charlie lately about securing a Finnish dragon. He knew that was his next step, but was unsure of how to reach the dragon handler directly.

 _Perhaps you should contact Bill dear. He should be able to get hold of his brother._

Harry nodded in agreement of Hermione's thought and decided there was no time like the present as he stepped over to the floo and made a call to Gringotts as he stuck his head in the green flames. He had to wait a minute before a goblin appeared on the other end.

"Hello Lord Potter. I take it you have business of import to explain this unexpected call."

Harry decided to ignore the young goblin's tone of derision.

"Yes sir, I need to speak with Cursebreaker Weasley. If there is a problem, I'm sure account manager Silverstaff can call him for me."

"That won't be necessary. Please wait here."

Harry waited a couple of minutes as he tried to ignore his sore knees. Eventually Bill appeared, led by the goblin that Harry had spoken to before. Harry decided to not waste any more time.

"Hi Bill. Thanks for coming. Sorry for calling unannounced. I just received word on the mining effort. I need to talk to your brother."

Harry was careful not to say much over the floo connection, but he knew Bill would know which brother he needed and what this was about.

"Certainly Harry. Let me contact him. We'll call as soon as he's available."

Harry thanked Bill and broke off the call, happily standing up and stretching his legs. Now he was back to waiting again. At least something seemed to be moving along. He took Hermione's hand as they conversed mentally and left the office to continue on to the library.

No word came from Bill that day and Harry was getting antsy again when he received a summons to the headmaster's office the following morning at breakfast. Hermione had to talk to Professor McGonagall about an assignment, so he left on his own. When he arrived, he wasn't surprised to see Bill waiting for him.

"Good morning Harry. Sorry about the delay. Charlie has been busy since I passed on your message yesterday. Anyway, he gave me some instructions for you. Apparently he's secured the use of one of the Finnish dragons. The problem is that the reserve isn't willing to loan the dragon, so the ritual will need to be done at their reserve. Charlie got permission to use a dragon for an 'experiment'. He has friends at the reserve and they're curious, but have agreed to not ask too many questions. Now that he knows you have the stone, he's arranged a portkey to the Toimisto in Helsinki. That's the equivalent of the Ministry there. They want the stone transported there for inspection first. Then Charlie will pick it up before he meets you on Saturday. He's also made arrangements for you to meet him in Finland this weekend. You better bundle up because this place is way north. Charlie is going to meet you at the Toimisto, where you will need to go through customs. From there he has an in-country portkey to a small outpost called Munnikurkkio. He said that it's a good fourteen hours via muggle transport from Helsinki. Once you reach the outpost, you fly up the mountains by broom. Apparently the security is tight and no portkeys go in direct. He's arranging everything on the continent, but you need to get yourself to Helsinki. He'll be at the Toimisto at noon, which is ten our time on Saturday."

Bill handed Harry the portkey that was to be used for the stone, as well as a small piece of map that Charlie had circled their destination on.

"Wow, alright. I guess I need to get busy and talk to Jean-Louis. I'll tell Hermione to dig out the cold weather gear. She won't like the idea of broom flying, but I guess it can't be avoided."

"Harry, if I may. I'd like to accompany you to the reserve and watch the destruction of the objects."

Harry had forgotten that Dumbledore was in the room until he spoke. Before he could respond, Bill replied to the headmaster.

"Sorry sir, but I don't think that will be possible. Charlie said he didn't want this to turn into a spectator sport. He's trying to keep a low profile at the reserve when he does this 'experiment'. He specifically mentioned Lord and Lady Potter only."

Dumbledore was about to interject again, when Harry spoke.

"I really do think it is best that we don't advertise ourselves too much. I'll be happy to show you the memory in the pensieve when we return. I imagine all my allies will be interested."

Harry's tone was firm as he leveled his gaze at the headmaster. Sighing, Dumbledore nodded and sat back in his chair as Bill turned back to Harry.

"Well, I have to be back. I'll be curious to hear how things go. Good luck."

Harry thanked Bill and then watched him disappear into the floo. Once the flames calmed, Harry went to the fireplace to call the Delacour manor in France. An elf answered at first and then immediately went to fetch his master. Jean-Louis appeared quickly and his booming voice echoed through the floo connection.

"Good morning Lord Potter! I take it you received my message?"

"Yes indeed and myself and my allies have been busy. I need to speak to you in person as soon as possible."

"Ah well, then your call is fortuitous. I have some business at the Ministry this afternoon. My assistant has me booked solid, but I think I can manage a few minutes around two this afternoon if that works for you."

"That will be fine."

"Excellent. Then I'll see you on the fourth floor, near the International offices. Not sure which conference room we'll be in, but you should be able to find us."

Harry thanked him and then cut off the floo connection. He was now a couple of minutes late to class, but his status as Lord Potter would excuse him without even using Founders' rights. He wished the headmaster a good day and rushed out of the office to class.

In between classes that morning, Harry mentally filled Hermione in on the meeting and she was as excited as he was about most everything, although the broom ride was an exception as he knew it would be. After lunch they studied for a while and then she headed off to Herbology while he put on his house robes and made his way back to the headmaster's office to floo to the Ministry.

As he hiked up to the office once again, Harry contemplated having the floo in their apartment connected to the network. He could have it done within Founders' rights, but wondered if it really was necessary or if he was just being lazy. He set the thought aside when he reached the office and found it empty. He grabbed some powder and quickly floo'd to the Ministry atrium. Once there, he made his way to the fourth floor. A secretary at the front of the office seemed a bit put out until he mentioned who he was. Then she quickly complied and directed him to the conference room where Monsieur Delacour was meeting. Harry waited for a couple of minutes until people began filing out of the room. When Jean-Louis stepped out, he greeted Harry enthusiastically.

"Lord Potter! Perfect timing! Come, let's go back in here and talk before I'm off to my next destination."

They stepped into the room and Harry immediately put up several strong privacy wards. Realizing the serious nature of their discussion, Jean-Louis added a couple of his own as well. Once the room was heavily warded, Harry briefed him on the plans and handed him the portkey for the stone transport. The Frenchman grew contemplative as he tucked the portkey into his robes.

"Alright, well I'm glad things are moving along. The Russians are ready to get this rock out of their way. I'm a bit worried about sending it to Finland. The Fins and Russians have a tense history and I'm concerned about what the Tuimisto will say when they realize the rock is radioactive. It's well shielded in special lead boxes, but they'll want to open them for inspection. I suppose I should go along and ensure it gets handled and stored properly. Not to worry, I have a couple of contacts up that way. I'll make it work. I know how important this is."

"I'm sorry for the additional trouble for you though."

"Again, no worries. Trouble is relative when we consider what this rock is for. No, minor diplomatic squabbles and business haggling can wait, I'll give this top priority. This portkey isn't timed, so I can activate it whenever. I think I'll try to head to Russia tomorrow. The boxes can be shrunk somewhat, although they're limited due to their density. I'll bundle them and then send myself along with them when I activate the portkey. I hope there's enough rock. It won't be easy getting more."

"I think there will be. Charlie said the Finnish dragons are smaller and more efficient in their flaming. They're also more magical and I hope that will make us successful."

Jean-Louis nodded and then had to leave for his next meeting. They dissolved the wards on the room and Harry followed him out. They went separate directions then and Harry headed back to school.

When Harry returned to school, the headmaster was in and Harry confirmed that details were set for the weekend, provided there were no issues with the Finnish authorities. Then he reached out for Hermione's mind and she confirmed that she and their friends were in the library. He made his way to his love, switching his focus from destroying dark artifacts to basic school studies.

The next couple of hours were spent wrapping up some homework assignments. With OWLs approaching, the library was busier than usual, with a disproportionate number of fifth years. One table away from the Potters and their allies, Draco held court with his goons and a few others staking their piece of territory. While Draco appeared to be studying mostly, Harry couldn't miss the glares that were shot his way and the looks that slid over to Blaise. He knew his friend was in private quarters, despite still being officially Slytherin and Harry felt for him. Blaise was basically without a house. As dinner approached and they started to pack up, Harry made his way around the table while rubbing his signet and then clapped Blaise on the shoulder while shooting a look at Draco and letting the house magic flow to remind the Slytherins of whose protection Blaise was under. Thankfully, Draco limited his actions to the usual sneering and the group of friends made their way to dinner unimpeded.

After dinner, everyone was splitting up to go to their separate common rooms, but as Blaise took a turn toward the dungeons, Harry noticed Theo Nott lounging a bit too casually against a wall. A quick look at Ron and the two Gryffindors placed themselves at Blaise's sides. Harry smiled gratefully at Ron, who had made strides and grown friendly with Blaise. They were just stepping off the lowest stairs when Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle appeared in front of them and Draco took the lead as always.

"Hey No Name! How long are you going to persist in hanging around where you aren't wanted? You're making the whole dungeon reek with cowardice."

Blaise was about to step forward, but Harry held his hand up as he stepped forward instead. Blaise had sworn an oath of fealty to his house and Harry knew what his traditional responsibilities were.

"Scion Malfoy, your attitude is uncalled for. I shouldn't have to remind you that Blaise is under House Potter protection."

"Really? And you think that you and two blood traitors can take on three true purebloods?"

"No, I don't think so. The laws are clear. This is not a matter for our vassals. I assume Crabbe and Goyle swore fealty to you since they seem to hang onto you wherever you go. If you insist on pursuing this, it will be done properly under the ancient laws, between the lords of our two houses. Unless you want to take your father's place against me as Scion Malfoy?"

 _Harry! You know you're provoking him. We're on our way! Damn, we should have gone with you and Ron._

 _Yes Hermione, I know what I'm doing and I think it's overdue._

Harry cut off his mental dialogue with Hermione as Draco replied.

"Fine! By the old laws, let's get this over with. And my father has better things to do than teach you a lesson. I will represent House Malfoy as its scion."

"Very well, I, Lord Harry James Potter, do hereby declare a duel for house honor for the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter against the Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy for the reason of threats against my vassal. Name your time and place."

Draco sneered and made a rude noise.

"Let's not waste time. I've been wanting to teach you a lesson. Just because you bested that fat old slug from the Ministry, you think you can rule over everyone. Time is now and we have plenty of space right here."

"Very well. Ronald Bilius Weasley, as a son of a Lesser House, will you bear fair witness?"

Ron nodded, choked and then managed a response.

"Um..yeah…sure Har…Lord Potter."

"Blaise, please mark our dueling area."

"Alright, but I wish you didn't have to do this my lord."

"This is the duty I accepted along with your oath."

Blaise nodded and stepped around Harry. He raised his wand and circled around himself while casting a simple marking spell. A ring of blue appeared on the floor. Blaise then stepped out and Harry and Draco stepped in. There was no bowing as Blaise counted down and the duel began.

Harry and Draco both cast their first spells simultaneously. Harry started with a simple cutting spell, while Draco cast a full power reducto. Both darted out of the way of the first spells while also bringing up shields. Harry used the stronger protectum maximo shield that Tonks had taught him and it held through the next couple of spells as he cast a series of spell chains. Draco's shield went down quick, but he continued to dance out of the way. Harry had to admit that he wasn't half bad and had obviously trained. At one point, Harry circled and saw that the rest of his friends, as well as a number of other students had arrived. He cast a series of spells in a usual pattern, making sure that Draco saw what he was doing. Sure enough, the next disarming and stun barrage he sent was anticipated as Draco darted left out of the way. What he didn't anticipate was a third spell aimed the opposite direction directly at the spot he had fled to. Harry was tired of games and cast a moderate cutting spell that caught Draco's wand hand, causing him to drop his weapon. Harry then knocked Draco to the floor with a bludgeoning hex. He stepped over to Draco, who was whimpering and holding his bleeding hand as he looked up at Harry. By the old laws, Harry could now claim his life as victor of the duel. He placed his wand to Draco's brow and shook his head as he pulled his wand back.

"Draco Malfoy, I hereby claim victory and grant you your life. My price is your…"

Whatever else Harry was about to say was cut off by his bloodcurdling scream as a cutting curse opened his back up from his right shoulder to his left hip. Harry doubled over, just managing to stay upright. He wasn't sure what had hit him, but the other observers were. Blaise had seen Theo Nott push through the crowd, but the older boy had been too fast as he pushed an arm between two other bystanders and cast the curse. Blaise was on him immediately after, as was Ron, Neville and Ernie Macmillan. A number of curses hit Theo as he collapsed in pain of his own as several younger girls screamed. The entire event lasted no more than twenty seconds as Theo was held at wand point writhing in pain while Hermione ran to Harry, pleading with him mentally to hold on, while at the same time trying to block the pain that she felt through their connection. Colin Creevy was the first to react, tossing his camera to a friend and running off to find a professor. Two flights of stairs later, he found a number of the professors leaving the staff lounge after a brief meeting. Madam Pomfrey was there as well and everyone quickly followed Colin back to the dungeons, only half understanding the out of breath young man.

Once they arrived back in the dungeons, Madam Pomfrey went to Harry immediately while Professor McGonagall took control of the crowd to find out what was going on. Harry was evacuated to the hospital wing while Theo Nott was bound and sent along a few minutes later after McGonagall found out what he had done. Draco was sent along as well, but was actually the least injured. Gradually control was regained and everyone was sent back to their common rooms while McGonagall met Dumbledore, Madam Pomfrey and Professor Snape at the hospital wing. Hermione stayed by Harry's side, although McGonagall had refused to allow any of their friends to crowd the hospital. When she and Dumbledore arrived in the wing, Hermione's focus shifted off Harry for the first time.

"Headmaster Dumbledore, there you are! I assume you have been told what happened?"

"Yes Mrs. Potter, and you can be assured that I will be dealing with the students responsible most harshly."

"Well, Draco's actions were his usual and technically not against the law since he followed the rules of the duel, but Mr. Nott's actions were criminal. I would expect that the DMLE will be called."

"Now Mrs. Potter, I don't think the boy's actions call for such drastic measures. This is a school matter."

Hermione bristled and leveled a look of derision at the headmaster.

"No, I don't think it is a school matter. The scion of House Nott has just attempted the assassination of the lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. Scion Nott is fifteen and has yet to reach his legal majority, but by the law he is of age to take the title of scion and begin his formal training for his future role as a lord. As such, he also assumes the responsibilities of adulthood. He may not yet be able to take his father's seat in the Wizengamot, but he will answer for his crime. Now, I must insist that you call the DMLE immediately. I am asking this as Lady Potter, in my husband's stead as the head of our house due to his medical incapacitation. NOW."

The headmaster grimaced, but nodded at Hermione and left the hospital wing. Hermione turned back to Harry immediately and thus missed the small smirk from her head of house.

Madam Pomfrey worked on Harry for nearly an hour, carefully using a variety of spell work and potions to close up the gash in Harry's back, layer by layer. Thankfully, one of the first potions was a heavy pain potion that made him nearly unconscious while she worked. When she finished, the evidence of the vicious attack was reduced to a wide, vivid pink line across his back. With nothing else to do, he was left to rest and Hermione made it obvious what her plan was as she laid down and folded herself around him, glaring at the healer and daring her to object.

Almost halfway through Harry's treatment, Tonks and two other Aurors arrived. She came over to Harry's bed, while the other's followed McGonagall's summons to where she stood guard between the two Slytherins. Tonks looked down at the injury and hissed as her hair changed to an angry red.

"Madam, how is he? Will he make it?"

"Aye, he will be fine. I got to him immediately after. He has lost a lot of blood though. I don't have time to talk, but I can assure you this had the potential to be a fatal blow."

Tonks nodded and squeezed Hermione's arm. That was all she needed to hear as she turned back to the other beds. She needed direct testimonies immediately and McGonagall went to get Ron, as well as Blaise. Fifteen minutes later, the two young men stood outside the hospital wing while the Aurors took their formal testimonies, as well as memory strands. The case was straightforward. Malfoy's behavior was loathsome, but not illegal. Nott was another matter. They let the boys return to their dorms and went back in the hospital wing to wait.

When Madam Pomfrey finished with Harry, she dealt with Draco quickly, sealing the cut across his hand, and sent him back to rest in his own dorm. She didn't say anything, but normally she might have kept a student close for a night of observation, but she didn't want him in the wing with Harry. Then she turned to Nott and began to treat him for the abrasions, contusions, and boils that had been inflicted by various curses. He too could have used a bit of watching, but the Aurors assured her they would put in him in an infirmary cell at the Ministry. He protested when he heard that, yelling loudly.

"You can't put me in a cell! I'm Scion Nott, of the House of Nott. My father sits on the Wizengamot. You're all going…"

Whatever else he was going to say was cut off by Tonks' silencing charm.

"Yes, Scion Nott, I am well aware of who you are. And your father will be informed shortly of your location and pending charges of attempted murder and line murder for your despicable attack on Lord Potter."

The young man struggled a bit as the Aurors pulled him off the bed, only to be petrified and then transported away via a special Aurors' portkey. An hour later, Lord Nott received a late night floo call shortly before he went to bed, informing him of his heir's actions and incarceration.

The next morning Harry woke and smiled at Hermione, who was sitting at the side of his bed. His back ached a bit, but felt much better than his last memory from the night before. He tried to speak audibly, but found his voice hoarse from disuse, as well as still feeling quite tired, and decided to opt for the easier mind speech.

 _Morning love. Have you been here all night? Did you sleep?_

 _Of course I've been here. I curled up with you for a few hours. How are you feeling, much pain?_

 _Not bad, more of an ache. I've felt worse._

Hermione scowled at the underlying tone of what those words meant. Her dark thoughts were cut off by questions.

 _So what ended up happening last night with Malfoy and who hit me with what? All I remember is searing pain in my back and then everything is a blur._

 _It was Nott. He hit you with a cutting spell from behind when you were giving Malfoy his terms of surrender. He's been remanded to the DMLE. Dumbledore tried his usual forgiveness tact, but I refused and insisted. He made a fuss when they took him out of here. Madam Pomfrey had to heal him for a range of curses that different people hit him with. Malfoy was hurt the least and was sent back to his dorm. Technically he is despicable, but didn't commit a crime, so it's a school discipline matter._

 _Did I ever finish my terms of surrender? How bad am I hurt? Madam Pomfrey doesn't just have me dosed up good does she?_

 _No, you never finished with Malfoy, so you still need to make that clear. You lost a lot of blood and the cut was quite deep, but she closed it up by layers. If we apply a salve regularly and you take it easy, the scar should be minimal. What were you going to give Malfoy as his terms?_

 _Same as what I gave Umbridge. I want him to leave Hogwarts permanently._

Hermione took that in and pondered for a moment, starting to worry at her lip as diagrams of repercussions to that action flowed through her head. Harry looked at her with a bit of concern.

 _What Hermione? He deserves it._

 _Yes, I know he does. The problem is what happens to him if he isn't here? Does he go home and grovel at the Dark Lord's feet with his father? Or maybe he gets sent overseas to one of the schools that trains in the use of the Dark Arts? As much as I want to see him gone, I wonder if it may be better to keep him where we can see him._

Harry frowned and contemplated those thoughts. He hated to admit it, but Hermione had a point. Not that he was surprised. He sighed and nodded his head.

 _Alright, I suppose that makes sense. I hate it though. So what should I give him as terms? He should be thanking me for granting his life._

 _I've been thinking on this. Draco has some power as scion of House Malfoy, although not the same as his father. Still, if he makes an oath, all members of the house have to abide by it. It's part of the oath and ceremony when an heir reaches fifteen and officially becomes scion. And we know he has done so since he bragged about it so much. I think you need to demand an oath from House Malfoy that will ban them from assisting the Dark Lord in any way. The wording will need to be precise. I can work on that._

 _Hmm, that sounds good. Add in not opposing House Potter or its allies as well. A combined oath. I like the idea. The old man will be furious if Draco accepts it. What if he doesn't?_

 _That's the hard part. If you offer this and he refuses, then you have to maintain House Potter's honor and kill him as the duel called for. I know its barbaric, but that's the old law._

Harry's thoughts raged for a minute, conflicted. He hated Malfoy with a passion, but he didn't want to be forced to kill him. Still, he knew that house honor was of utmost importance, especially in the current political climate. Hermione reached and took his hand and he accepted the quiet comfort she offered as his thoughts calmed.

 _Alright, draft the oath please. I will deliver it in the Great Hall at dinner tonight. I want it witnessed. Now I just need to get Madam Pomfrey to let me out of here._

The healer seemed to sense the need for her presence as she suddenly appeared at the end of Harry's bed and began to cast diagnostic charms over him. When she finished, she nodded slightly.

"Well Lord Potter, you are healing well. Still, you need to rest and continue taking two potions to make sure my mending holds. Your body still needs to finish the work I began."

"Thanks for taking care of me, but can I go soon?"

"I am hesitant, but if Lady Potter agrees to watch you and keep you on a strict schedule of rest today, then I'll agree. You can start classes tomorrow, although if you tire, you are to return to your apartment and rest immediately. I know you have house business that calls you away on occasion. I have to ask that you stay at Hogwarts for a week to allow yourself a chance to rest. I don't recall the Wizengamot being scheduled to meet anytime soon."

"Actually, I have house business that will call me away this weekend. It is non-negotiable."

"Be that as it may, I have to insist that you negotiate your schedule. I will get the headmaster to enforce this if I must. Even lords who are students are under his purview."

Harry bristled at the firm tone the healer gave him. He appreciated all that she had done for him, but she had no idea just how important the trip to Finland was.

 _Maybe we should reschedule Harry. The travel to Helsinki won't be the problem, but the broom ride into the mountains will be tiring._

 _No. I will not allow those pieces of Voldemort's soul to exist any longer than necessary._

 _But Harry…_

 _Hermione, you are my heart and I am happy to compromise on most things. This is one of the few I will not. Even if I need more medical help after, it will be worth it. I will rest for the next few days, but I am going to Finland and would like you by my side._

Hermione bristled at his insinuation that she would object and try to stay behind. She felt a firmness in her soul mate that was unusual.

 _Fine, I still object, but I can tell you are set. Just remember that when you hurt, I hurt._

Harry sighed. He hated to hurt her, but this mission was too important. Now he just had to make the angry looking healer realize the same. He decided a bit of honesty was needed.

 _Hermione, I am taking it easy from this point forward. Can you please seal the hospital wing and put of privacy wards._

Hermione nodded and began to do as he requested. Madam Pomfrey turned to look at her with shock, but Harry said nothing until the wards were in place. Once they were, Harry began to explain.

"Madam Pomfrey, I truly do appreciate all of your efforts on my behalf. I wouldn't risk my health and hurting my soul mate if the reason was not of the greatest importance. I cannot give you all the details, but my allies and I have been working for months on a mission that will culminate this weekend and will be critical to Voldemort's final defeat. As for the headmaster, he is aware. You may want to have him stop me, but I will exert Founders' rights if needed. If I wished, I could take down the anti-apparition wards in this room and leave here immediately."

The healer looked at her young patient with a bit of shock, never having realized what the Founders' rights fully encompassed. If what he said about his mission was true, she could understand somewhat, although it still rankled.

"Alright Lord Potter. I suppose I cannot object. I'd like to offer a compromise. You have three days until the weekend. I was willing to let you attend class, but perhaps Lady Potter can attend and take notes for you. Of course, with your bond that may not be necessary. I will feel better knowing you have rested completely the full time before you have to leave. I will also send some potions with you."

Harry nodded and accepted her compromise. He didn't like the idea of being cooped up for the next few days, but it made sense. With that agreement made, Madam Pomfrey turned to Hermione and began to explain the potions and salve that he would need to use. Once they finished, Hermione dissolved the wards and then called for Dobby.

 _I can walk._

 _And every step saved is a step toward your healing._

Harry suppressed a grumble and nodded as he slowly got out of bed and allowed the unusually subdued elf to gingerly take his hand as he apparated them back to their apartment. Once they were in the apartment, Hermione settled Harry on the couch with a pile of pillows behind him while Dobby went to get them breakfast. After they ate, Hermione left for class while Harry reclined carefully on the sofa with a book. He was under strict orders to call Dobby if he needed anything. He hated being fussed over, but Harry had to admit that he was quite sore and more tired than he wanted to acknowledge.

After the first couple of classes of the day, Hermione returned with their friends. Harry had dozed off, but woke, happy to see everyone. They were all concerned about him, with Blaise especially seeming troubled.

"Harry, I'm sorry about all this mess. If it wasn't for me, you would have never had to accept that duel."

"Stop Blaise. When I accepted your oath, I knew the responsibility I was accepting. I'll admit to being new to the duties of being a lord, but I've been studying and knew what the oath entailed. Anyway, my confrontation with Draco would have happened eventually anyway. I'm still worried for you though. Even with private quarters, I don't like the idea of you staying in the dungeons. Isn't there a better alternative?"

"There is one possibility. When I returned from break after I was disowned and met with the headmaster, he gave me the option to be re-sorted. I wasn't ready to accept that at the time, so that's when he decided on the private quarters. Honestly, I was hoping the fuss would die down and I could rejoin the house. I do have a couple of friends there. Now though I've been thinking that it may be the better option. My friends are having a hard time watching themselves while trying to remain friendly with me. I know now that I'll never be Slytherin again and I honestly don't think I want to now."

"Well, the choice is yours. I would feel better for you. Now, Hermione and I need to talk to you all about our plans for this weekend…"

The rest of the time before lunch was spent discussing the plans for the weekend, as well as Harry's ultimatum to Draco at dinner. Several of their friends were worried about Harry, but could tell he was determined to continue. Once lunch arrived, Dobby served all of the friends a platter of sandwiches and they ate in private before everyone except Harry had to leave for afternoon classes. Before she left, Hermione insisted on moving him to the bed and giving him a small bit of pain potion to help him rest.

The potion worked well and Harry didn't wake until shortly after four when Hermione returned. She helped him move to the couch and they carefully drafted the text of the oath that Draco was to read. It took over an hour, leaving only a short bit of time for study before dinner.

As the dinner hour approached, Harry carefully pulled on his House Potter robes and then slowly proceeded with Hermione to the Great Hall. It was the first time anyone had seen him since the duel and several people stopped him along the way to check on him. Eventually they reached hall and Harry gratefully settled into his usual seat as they waited for the hall to fill.

A few minutes later the last arrivals seemed to be done and the food was just appearing on the tables when Harry stood up and used all his willpower to stalk confidently toward where Draco was sitting. He had heard through his friends that Draco had been given a month of detentions with Filch, as well as earning a hundred point deduction for Slytherin in house points, but Scion Malfoy had more that was due to him. As Harry crossed to the Slytherin table, he rubbed his signet and let the house magic roll. As he neared the table, he cast a sonorous charm so that he could be heard by all. When he stood behind Draco, he was met with sneers from most of Slytherin as he spoke.

"Scion Malfoy, we have unfinished business."

"Really? Come to gloat Potter? See me after dinner."

"That is Lord Potter to you! You accepted my duel, which I fairly won. Your life is mine, unless I choose otherwise. My verdict was never finished due to the traitorous actions of Scion Nott. Now, rise and hear my verdict or accept your death!"

Draco blanched for a brief moment and then carefully replaced his haughty sneer as he turned and stood. He gave Harry a bare nod and then proceeded to yawn and look bored.

"It is unfortunate that you haven't been schooled to realize the importance of what is happening Scion Malfoy. You are scion to House Malfoy, are you not?"

"Of course! My father saw to that on my birthday. It is what I was born to."

"Strange. I would have thought your education on your responsibilities as scion would have been better. Anyway, as scion, you speak for House Malfoy. The duel we fought was a duel between houses. Your life is mine unless I say otherwise."

Harry now leveled his wand at Draco's head as professors began to converge. When Draco reached for his own wand, Harry yanked it away with his other hand and tossed it to the side.

"Scion Malfoy, the verdict I was in the process of granting after you lost our duel is now no longer postponed. I ask an oath that I have prepared. Take the oath for your house or forfeit your life."

"Lord Potter, this is really a bit overdone for a simple schoolboy's duel…"

Harry didn't look to where Dumbledore stood, trying to intervene.

"Albus Dumbledore, this is not a school matter. You should know the penalties to interfering in the business of a Most Ancient and Noble House. Please desist. Now, Scion Malfoy, what will it be, oath or death?"

Dumbledore seemed at a loss for words for once. He wanted to intervene, but doing so would be disastrous for one if not all of his esteemed positions. He was left to watch with everyone else as Draco looked both scared and angry as he stared at Harry.

"Decide now Scion Malfoy!"

"Fine! The oath of course. What do you want, the usual? An oath of compliance?"

"No, not the usual. By the ancient laws, the choice of oath is mine and I don't feel that any of the ancient oaths fit the situation. I have an oath of my own choosing written on this parchment. My lady will return your wand and you will recite the oath precisely as it is written."

Hermione had risen from the table not long after Harry and retrieved Malfoy's wand. She returned it, but made sure that he saw her own wand in hand and ready to react if he tried anything. Draco took his wand and the parchment, reading it over quickly. All the color drained from his face as he read and shook his head.

"I can't swear this!"

"Then you forfeit your life."

"No, wait! This oath isn't just for me, it's for House Malfoy."

"Of course it is. You took the responsibility of your house when you became scion. Now, dinner is getting cold and I am tired with your stalling. Oath or not?"

Draco shuddered and held his wand high as his trembling voice began to read from the parchment that Harry had memorized. As Draco began, his wand glowed to acknowledge the magical oath.

"I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, Scion of the Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy, do hereby pledge on my life and magic this oath to Lord Harry James Potter. This oath is given in exchange for my life, forfeit upon Lord Potter's defeat of myself in magical duel. I hereby pledge that no one of House Malfoy will from this point forward unto seven generations support anyone practicing necromancy or black magic, nor will anyone of House Malfoy support any dark lord. Specifically, I pledge that no one of House Malfoy will sup…port Lord…"

Draco's voice trailed off and Harry shook his head.

"Louder Scion Malfoy! Back to the beginning of that sentence."

Draco shuddered and continued.

"…Specifically, I pledge that no one of House Malfoy will support Lord Voldemort in any manner, by word, deed, account or intent. This oath hereby voids all previous oaths, per the laws of the Ancient and Noble Houses of wizardkind. Additionally, House Malfoy will in no way oppose the interests of House Potter or it's allies in any manner, by word, deed, account, or intent unto seven generations beginning from this point forth. Violation of any part of this oath will see the forfeit of the entirety of the value of House Malfoy to House Potter. So say I, Scion Draco Lucius Malfoy. So mote it be."

Draco had grown quieter through the second half of the oath, but the Slytherin table and a few nearby at the Ravenclaw table still heard him, as well as the headmaster and the professors nearby. When he finished, Draco's wand flashed to indicate the magic had taken hold. Then the young scion proceeded to faint. Satisfied and tired, Harry turned, swishing his robes across Draco's inert form, as he took Hermione's hand and returned to his seat. Behind them, Madam Pomfrey was attending to Draco while Snape and Dumbledore watched. The other professors returned to their seats and gradually the noise in the hall grew as everyone talked about what they had just witnessed. Harry and Hermione remained quiet though, eating and only answering the occasional question from those around them.

Once dinner was finished, Hermione looked around and gestured to all their friends. Everyone gathered around the Potters and returned with them to their apartment to study. Hermione had taken careful notes as usual and Harry knew he had a lot of work to catch up on already from just one day of missed classes, but his injury and the events of the evening had tired him and he lasted barely an hour before excusing himself to bed.

o-o-o-o-o

 **Hi everyone! I finally got this story updated. I've got too many things cooking, but that's my way as you know. One thing I am looking forward to is adopting a story that I've been thinking on for about six months. It was abandoned over five years ago and the PM I sent in July was never responded to, so I am going forward, albeit slowly. The story is called Harem War by radaslab. It's over 750k word and just ends in the middle with over seventy witches pregnant across a half dozen harems. It's not for everyone, but I just re-read it recently and I think it needs to be continued. The first part of my efforts toward that is getting some maps and diagrams of buildings straight so that I have reference material when I write. I've finished those now and thought they may be helpful to anyone wanting to read the original story. The problem was where to put the files. I tried a couple of photo sharing services, but didn't like any of them. I also am not fond of long author's notes (ironic I know), so I decided to setup a face book profile for my fanfic alter ego. Yes, I split that site up into two words, since FF censors things. You can find my face book profile under the name flowerchild33fanfic. I'll post occasional notes there about my stories and maybe other files as well, like the graphics for Harem War. Also, Harem War has a bunch of details about military, including WWII aircraft. I plan on researching, but its not my area of expertise. If anyone wants to help in that area, please PM me. Thanks for all your support :-)**


	24. Magical Fire

**Here's an early update. Merry Christmas!**

Chapter 24 – Magical Fire

The next couple of days were quiet for Harry. Per his agreement with Madam Pomfrey, he stayed in the apartment except for lunch and dinner. Breakfast was brought in by Dobby and all studying was done in the apartment, usually with Harry propped up on the couch with a pile of pillows. He missed a couple of Quidditch practices, but Ron ran them fine without him. There was nothing of import in the Prophet until two mornings after his confrontation with Draco and the oath reading. By that time the news had gotten out about the duel, the attack, and the unusual oath. The Prophet was speculative on the legality of the oath, but so far had no reason to doubt it.

The day after the duel, Hermione made a brief trip to the Ministry after classes. Tonks met her in the atrium when she arrived and escorted her to the international portkey office. Once there, it took an hour of paperwork and a fee of eight galleons to arrange the portkey to the Toimisto in Finland for the weekend. When Hermione returned to school and their apartment, Harry had just woken from his nap and started studying so she joined him.

Not long after Hermione's return, Dobby popped in carrying a note from the headmaster's office. Harry thanked him, glad for not having to manually retrieve the note and wondering why they hadn't used the elf in the past. Setting that thought aside, he applied a drop of his blood to the seal that showed the note was from Jean-Louis. The note was brief and to the point:

 _Lord Potter,_

 _Myself and the cargo have arrived at the destination. There was a good bit of questioning as expected, but my contacts here helped to move me through customs. The packages are now in a secure holding facility with the local law enforcement office. Your friend will be able to take custody at the expected time later on. Please send word if I can be of further assistance._

 _JLDAD_

As Harry read the note, he felt Hermione's acknowledgement as she heard it through his mind. Jean-Louis was cautious with his wording, despite the seal on the note, and Harry appreciated his efforts. Now it seemed that all was in place for Saturday and he just needed to rest and heal.

On Thursday night, Tonks arrived for the usual defense lessons, which Harry was sitting out of course. She actually arrived early and was waiting outside the Great Hall when the Potters and their friends exited after dinner. Seeing the look on her face, Hermione led everyone to their apartment. Her suspicions were confirmed when Tonks immediately began casting privacy wards before turning to speak to Harry, Hermione, and their allies.

"Alright, thanks for waiting on me. Can't be too careful. Amelia gave me news to bring you directly. I don't need to tell you that it goes no further. First, she has increased Auror activity around certain areas and we are close to determining where Voldemort's base is. Of course, all of the most likely candidates are homes or properties of inner circle Death Eaters and warded to hell and back. She says that when she has more specifics she will let you know where to go hunting. Of course, right now you're not exactly in peak form. Also, there has been a unique development that we've kept a tight lid on, but expect to hit the Prophet by tomorrow. That oath of yours had a greater impact than you probably anticipated. I'd like a copy of the exact wording by the way. Everything we've heard is secondhand at best."

"Anyway, Lucius never should have trusted Draco to take the title of Scion Malfoy and he has now paid for it. There are a lot of guesses as to why, but Lucius died the night Draco took the oath. The consensus is that the binding oath over his house conflicted with the oath that he took to take the Dark Mark. He was at a dinner party at Yaxley's house and collapsed. When he couldn't be revived, Narcissa insisted he be taken to St. Mungo's, but they couldn't do anything for him. A bit of money changed hands with the hospital director and his brief stay at the hospital was wiped out of official records, but the Ministry has sources in the hospital as well. One junior healer confirmed that the only visible sign of injury to his body was that his left forearm was charred. Anyway, the body was removed not long after and the family is keeping quiet, although Narcissa did remove Draco from school. By law, since he was scion, he is now lord and emancipated automatically since his father is gone. Again, this has all been kept quiet. We think the inner circle is reeling from this loss. I don't need to tell you that this only increases their desire to target you. Taking the Malfoy fortune and name from them is a heavy blow. I'm sure they have barristers and solicitors trying to find a way out of it. That's why we want the exact wording. Amelia agrees that this is good overall, but it has really stirred up the hornets. And mad hornets are not a good thing."

Everyone looked at Tonks, shocked at the news. Harry analyzed his thoughts on Lucius' death and couldn't bring himself to grieve the man. Then he thought about Draco. He may not like him, but he did feel for a young man who had lost his father, but that passing bit of compassion was his only real concern.

 _The fact that you can even feel that shows how much better you are than Draco. He wouldn't feel the same for you and never has._

 _I suppose. Your idea on the oath certainly worked out better than we imagined._

 _Except that the words I wrote killed a man._

 _No, the Dark Mark and the oath he gave Voldemort killed him. It was his fault._

Harry's mental soothing helped Hermione a bit as they each let the news settle. While she regained her focus, Harry turned back to Tonks.

"Well thanks for bringing us the news directly. I'm following orders and resting up so hopefully I'll be in peak shape as soon as possible. I'm sorry I have to skip training tonight."

"No worries. As soon as Madam Pomfrey clears you, I'll make sure you make it up. Oh, one other thing. The charges against Nott are to be formally filed on Monday. His father has been making a hell of a lot of noise, but attempted murder of another lord isn't something you shut down. He's hired Marius Rowle, cousin to Lord Rowle who we are fairly certain is in the inner circle. He wasn't just hired for his family connection though, he's one of the best barristers in England. I'm sure his price is steep. The legal department is trying to push this through as quick as possible. You should expect to have to testify in a month or so."

"Really? That seems quick, but I'm fine with it. Best to get it over with. Do you know what punishment he can expect?"

"I asked Amelia that. She'd like life, but his age makes that unlikely. She thinks ten to twenty years in Azkaban."

Harry nodded. He supposed that would have to do. Ten years in Azkaban would give the war time to be good and over and would certainly change Theo Nott. Of course, they had to get a conviction first. Harry's thoughts were interrupted when Tonks declared it was time to leave. Hermione settled Harry on a couch and then followed all their friends as they left to train.

When Hermione returned to the apartment a couple of hours later, she found that her husband had fallen asleep with a book across his chest. She stood and gazed at him for a minute. He was still healing and was much more affected by the injury than he let on. She ached when she thought about the pain he had endured and wished that he would delay the trip to Finland, but she knew that was a lost cause. Sighing, she stepped over to the couch to gently wake him with a kiss. She was in desperate need of a shower after training and he happily joined her. The warm water was good on his aching back and they took time to allow the water to wash away a bit of stress. They took turns washing each other and traded a few kisses, but both were too tired for much else. Still, the intimacy in the simple moments was as precious in a different way as when they made love. They also dried each other slowly after the shower and then Hermione applied the salve to Harry's back before they crawled into bed and were quickly asleep.

Harry had one more full day to recuperate that he spent primarily in the apartment. Thanks to Hermione's notes and their bond, he still managed to keep up fairly well in his classes and planned on using Sunday after they returned from Finland to do some more intensive work. On Friday night, all their allies gathered in the Potter apartment after dinner to enjoy several rounds of butterbeers procured by Dobby. With heavy privacy wards in place, the details for the next day were discussed at length. The camaraderie of the group was easy, although there was tension in the air as everyone was worried about the following day. Shortly before ten, everyone began to disperse and the Potters turned in not long after to get the rest they needed for the next day.

Saturday dawned a bit grey and cloudy, but Harry was energized. Except for the oath with Malfoy, there had been no tangible progress in the fight against Voldemort lately and he looked forward to killing more pieces of Tom's demented soul. He and Hermione ate breakfast quickly and then dressed carefully in multiple layers, with the final layer being their formal House Potter robes. The layers were too warm in the castle, but cooling charms resolved the issue. Harry had his Firebolt in hand while Hermione added several potions to her bag, preparing in case Harry didn't handle the trip well. Twenty minutes before the portkey was due to leave, they walked to the headmaster's office. Dumbledore was waiting, with the horcruxes in their various containment devices on a table to his left.

"Ah, good morning Lord and Lady Potter. I see you are well prepared for your long travels this day. I have the horcruxes right here. The ring is in the Dankov contraption, while the locket is in a this small box with the runes. The diadem is here in this larger box. Finally, as promised, the goblins delivered the cup two nights ago per your instructions. Ragnok was upset that they couldn't cleanse it themselves, but they wrapped it in platinum mesh and bound it with runes of their own. Let me show you how to deactivate each containment and remove the items…"

The next several minutes were spent with Dumbledore giving them both careful instructions on each device. Hermione found it quite fascinating the different methods of containment that were all designed to do the same, but with a different design and approach to each. Once he finished, he pulled an ebony box from a cabinet and then carefully packed each item into separate compartments inside. Hermione offered to take the box, but Harry refused and instead placed it inside an empty book bag that he had slung across his chest, wanting to keep the items close where he could monitor them. He was a bit cautious at first, but was glad when he felt no resonance from any of the items.

The time to discuss the containment devices used up most of their extra time and they had just two minutes after arranging everything before the portkey began to glow. With a final goodbye to Dumbledore, they each clutched the portkey and began the journey to Finland.

A few minutes later they arrived in a large vaulted room that was lined with floos on one end, then had an open area for portkey arrivals, and on the other end featured a line of customs desks. The room was bustling with wizards and witches in a variety of robes and even a few muggle style outfits. There was a buzz to the place and Harry noted the sound of several different languages. He and Hermione had their hands in their robes, ready to draw wands, but no one seemed to be paying them much attention as they moved toward one of the customs desks. After a couple of minutes spent waiting, they reached an agent who took their portkey and then began to look over their paperwork. When he saw Harry's name, he looked up for the first time and his eyes did the familiar flicker to Harry's forehead. He asked several questions in excellent English while continuing to seem a bit unnerved at who was standing front of him. Harry would normally be annoyed, but the distraction was useful as the man stamped their papers and never asked to inspect Harry's bag, which would have caused more questions and was something that he had been concerned about.

Once they were cleared, the Potters left the international arrivals hall and stepped out into the main corridor of the Toimisto. As soon as they did, a glimpse of familiar ginger hair appeared when Charlie stepped over to them.

"Lord and Lady Potter, welcome! No issues with the portkey?"

"No, everything went well Charlie."

"Excellent. I arrived a short while ago. Now, our in country portkey leaves in a half hour. I have a contact that Jean-Louis sent me in the Law Enforcement Office where your packages are waiting. Shall we?"

Harry nodded and followed the burly dragon handler as he followed signs through the Toimisto. Helpfully, the signs were in Finnish, but had a fascinating charm that caused the language to morph for whomever was viewing them. Hermione muttered about studying that as they moved to the lifts and went three floors up to the office they needed. Once there, Charlie stopped to speak to a young witch at the reception desk and she was more than happy to help the charming young wizard. Hermione smirked as she and Harry watched Charlie flirt just enough so that their contact was quickly fetched. The young man's name was Edvin and he appeared to be not much older than Harry. He was efficient though and quickly led them to the storeroom. Once there, Charlie took the four containers that had been shrunk slightly and stacked them two high before placing a small stone on top of each stack. Seeing the questioning looks, Charlie turned to Harry.

"I planned ahead since we knew these were going to be hefty. I don't want to wear myself out levitating them, so I borrowed some float stones from the reserve. We tie them to cows when we send them into the dragon enclosures. The stone contains metal the dragons don't like and they won't eat them and we collect them after."

"Interesting, and good thinking."

Charlie nodded and they thanked Edvin as they left the office and proceeded to one of the larger lifts. As they crowded in with the boxes, Hermione paid especial attention to the float stones and studied the runes carved into them. Soon they were exiting the lift and were just steps away from the in country travel hall. Charlie and Harry went to present their papers and they had a few minutes to wait until their next portkey was ready to go. They chatted companionably about news from the family and tried to lessen the tension they felt about the day. Once the portkey began to glow, Charlie grabbed hold of one stack of boxes, while Hermione grabbed the other. Then they all touched the portkey and felt the familiar tug.

Minutes later, they found themselves outside the door of a wooden cabin on a gravel path steps from a roaring river. Harry caught Hermione as she stumbled a bit due to the extra weight of bringing the boxes along. Charlie faltered just a step, but righted himself quickly. The landscape around them was stark with scrubby grass and rocky terrain that was still dotted with patches of snow. Harry immediately cancelled the cooling charms he had needed to counteract his warm clothing, now glad that he had dressed for the colder weather. Off in the distance he saw the rise of the mountains that they would be heading for, but didn't have long to analyze before an enormous man stepped out of the cabin to greet them.

"Welcome friends! I am Jaakko and this is Munnikurkkio."

"Jaakko, you scoundrel! How have you been? And it is my pleasure to introduce Lord Harry Potter and Lady Hermione Potter."

"A lord and lady huh? Well that's definitely unusual around these parts. Well, you're as welcome as the rest. It's been too long Charlie. You must come visit more, not just when you've got mysterious experiments to conduct. Anyway, I suppose we best fly while the weather still agrees."

Harry smiled at the warm man whose backslap had managed to almost knock Charlie over. He was well over two meters tall and almost as wide, with a shock of wild blond hair and ice blue eyes.

"Thanks Jaakko, and we're just Harry and Hermione among friends."

Jaakko nodded and then produced a broom for Charlie. The brooms were thick and sturdy models and the two dragon handlers opted to carry the boxes with them, looped in holsters and hanging from the brooms. As they situated, Harry climbed on his own broom and then took Hermione's hand as she climbed on behind him. He knew she didn't like flying, but she was remaining quiet and focused on the goal. Once they kicked off and followed Jaakko on a path toward the mountains, Harry felt the apprehension leave him as he relaxed in the air, happy to be back flying. Behind him Hermione gripped harder at his hips and he reached to rub her hands reassuringly.

While Harry enjoyed the flight, after an hour, he was starting to feel fatigued. The mountains looked vaguely closer, but it was obvious they still had a distance to go. A bit over an hour after starting the flight, they felt the familiar tingle and shiver of wards as they began a gradual ascent up the mountain. By the time they reached two hours, Harry was aching and exhausted. Hermione's grip had lessened, but now he felt her concern as she mentally tried to support him. After two and a half hours in the air, he began to slump forward a bit and Hermione grew more concerned.

 _Harry, are you alright? Do we need to stop? You feel so tired._

 _Fine Mione…just…just gotta keep…going…_

Hermione frowned while she consciously tried to push some of her strength into Harry. It seemed to work as he sat up a bit more. It didn't last long though as Harry used up the strength she had given him. Thankfully, a bit over three hours after starting, Jaakko descended and landed in a clearing. They followed behind him and Hermione had to put her feet down to help brace their landing due to Harry's condition. She was off the broom immediately, wrapping him in her arms as she lowered him to the ground. Charlie and Jaakko joined her, looking concerned.

"Hermione, what's wrong? Do you need me to fetch the reserve's healer?"

"No…no healer. Must get this done."

Hermione frowned at Harry and began to look through her bag. She found the potions she was looking for and tilted the first into Harry's mouth, instructing him verbally for Charlie's sake so that he would know what she was doing.

"Here Harry, this is a pepper-up. You really should have had more time to recover from your injury. I can tell your back is aching, so take a couple of sips of this pain potion. I hope it will help some, but the small amount won't put you to sleep."

Harry took the offered potions gratefully and immediately felt a bit of the ache and burning in his back lessen. The pepper-up had the usual effect and soon he was standing straighter while steam came out of his ears. Once Jaakko saw that he was looking better, he led them past the first cabins and into the heart of the reserve. He gave them a bit of a tour on the way, but soon led them off to the east side and the cabins gradually thinned as they started to work their way up a trail.

"Just a bit farther to the Tulen's lair. This group of four are some of our youngest and are more social than the older ones. The male is protective of his brood, but I think he may work for your experiment. Just don't go near his girls."

The hike up the trail was significant, but soon the path leveled off and they could see down into a small dip in the hillside. There was a cave off to the left, but in the bottom of the depression lay a magnificent dragon of pale blue color. When he lifted his head to regard them, waves of purple rippled across his hide. Harry was glad when he saw that the dragon was much smaller than the Horntail he had faced. In actuality, he was only half again bigger than a hippogryph. Jaakko held them back and arranged the four of them along the edge of the depression so that they could all be viewed as he yelled across to the dragon.

"Hello Harttu! I brought some friends. They have a task they wish assistance with. They brought special rock for your fire."

The dragon raised his head and watched them before slowly rising to his feet and crossing closer to them. Hermione clutched Harry's hand and felt his nervousness, but they were both eased by the fact that neither dragon handler seemed alarmed. Charlie glanced at them and flashed a quick smile.

"It's alright. He's just curious. If we were in danger, he would warn us. Unlike the myths, dragons rarely attack without warning or provocation."

The dragon had stopped for a moment and Harry tried to remember what Charlie said as the dragon seemed to focus on him. Then he did something terrifying when he suddenly ran straight at Harry. Hermione's hand was on her wand when Charlie held her back just as the dragon stopped in front of Harry and nosed his book bag before making a noise that could only be described as a very loud growl. Jaakko raised his eyebrows as he watched.

"Well Harry, whatever you've got in that bag has him upset. He's one of our most docile. Mainly because he's well fed and lazy. But he doesn't like your bag."

"Actually Jaakko, I'm not surprised. What's in the bag is part of the experiment."

Harry was a bit torn at this point. He was tired and wanted to get the task over with, but hadn't planned on Jaakko being with them. Hermione was about to offer her opinion when Charlie spoke up first.

"Lord Potter, perhaps it would be best if we got on with this? I've known Jaakko for years. He worked on a research project at the reserve in Romania a couple of years back. I believe he can be trusted. And he needn't know the full details. Perhaps he would even offer an oath?"

"Oh, aye, I figured something was up more than just a bit of an experiment. And I know who you are Lord Potter, so I'm sure that the less I know the better. Still, if I can help, I'm happy to. I'll offer you my oath."

Jaakko then drew his wand and made a small cut in his palm as he offered an oath of secrecy. Harry felt a bit relieved, despite the fact that he trusted Charlie's judgement.

"Thanks Jaakko. I need to have Harttu chew some stone and flame a few items I brought. They are dark artifacts that need his special flame. How should we go about this?"

"Well, we don't want to singe the hillside, so let's go over toward the rocks…"

Jaakko led the way a few dozen meters across the trail to an area where there had once been a small landslide that now featured a pile of rocks and not much greenery.

"Alright Harry, go ahead and offer your rock to Harttu. He understands us fairly well and I daresay he will be happy to flame whatever you've got in that bag."

Harry nodded and Charlie took and lined up the four boxes of rock, expanding and opening them as he went. Harry turned to the dragon and regarded him with reverence. He was about to speak when something in his mind sensed another presence and he suddenly felt that his usual speech was not correct for this situation. Instead, he went on his instinct and began to speak in the hissing tones of Parseltongue.

"Mighty Harttu, do you understand me?"

"A speaker…interesting. Your language is of the lesser, but yes I can understand you. Why do you bring the great evil to my home?"

"This evil is unique and not easily destroyed. Only great fire or great poison can destroy it. That is why I come to you and humbly ask your assistance. I have been told that this rock we bring will give your flame the heat needed for the task."

Harttu didn't say anything, but instead went and nosed around in the box before turning back to Harry.

"Yes, this rock will do well. I sense no malice in you and also wish to destroy what you bring. My help you will have."

The dragon then turned back and began to empty the first box, chewing rock as he went. Harry took a step back and looked to Hermione and the dragon handlers. Jaakko's eyebrows were raised to his hairline.

"Harttu has graciously agreed to assist. I was getting ready to talk to him and suddenly felt that Parseltongue would be more appropriate. He calls it the 'lesser language', but he does understand it."

Jaakko was speechless, while Charlie shook his head.

"Really? You would be a huge help at the reserve. Anytime you want to come visit, you're more than welcome."

Harttu had finished the first box and turned back to Harry.

"My flame is almost ready. Show me the items of evil."

Harry suppressed a shudder as he removed the book bag and pulled out the ebony box. When he opened it, he wondered for a moment where to start.

 _Perhaps in the order they were found?_

Harry nodded in agreement of Hermione's suggestion and drew out the ring inside the Dankov contraption. Once it was freed of the containment, everyone around could feel the aura coming from it and forced down a shudder. Harry took and placed the ring on a rock in front of the dragon, who stepped a bit closer and then hissed.

"This was once an item of power, but it is beyond with taint. I will begin…"

Harry stepped back as the dragon focused on the ring and then began to breathe out flames that surprisingly were purple in color. Behind him, Harry heard both dragon handlers gasp in shock. He turned to look at them and Charlie answered his unasked question.

"The color of a dragon's flame is very important. Most breathe orange or red, depending on the heat. A few have a magical blue flame. The purple flame is something that is rumored in old texts, but no one I know has ever actually seen it. When this is all over sometime years from now, maybe I can share this memory. I know our entire reserve would be fascinated."

"Aye Charlie. I feel as if this time right here will be the peak of my career. I had never thought…the purple flame…"

Harry was a bit surprised, but turned back as Harttu's flame caused the ring to glow. Then a shrill ring began to sound, followed immediately after by an ear piercing shriek that caused them all to grab their ears while watching as an oily, black cloud spiraled up and off the ring. Gradually the noise quieted and Harttu flamed for another minute before stopping and turning back to Harry.

"That evil is done. Let us proceed."

Harry next released the locket from its containment and placed it on another rock as the dragon began flaming again. This time the fire took a bit longer, but eventually the locket began to glow. The shriek was different, not as ear piercing, but menacing instead. It fled in a similar cloud of black residue. The dragon stepped back and Harry thought he looked perhaps a bit tired.

"Mighty Harttu, thank you for your help. We have two more still though. It seems this is hard work, are you alright?"

"It is more than I thought, but this is a goodness. I will finish the task, but I will need to eat soon after."

With that, the dragon stepped over to the second box and began chewing rock as Harry turned to Jaakko.

"Harttu says he can finish, but this is tiring for him and he will be hungry at the end. He deserves the best meal ever. Can you please get him whatever he would want? I can pay for it."

"Pfft, don't worry about that. We've got a corral of animals not far from here. We have a breed of cows that are a favorite of the dragons. Especially when they are young, they are a delicacy. Let me arrange to have a couple brought up when we are done."

Jaakko sent a patronus off down the mountain as Harry turned back to watch the dragon finish the second box of stone. When he was ready, Harry removed the diadem and placed it on a rock. This time Harttu had to flame for over five minutes before the glow began and it was obvious that the larger item was going to take more time and more fuel. Eventually it reached its peak and the soul fragment fled with a screech. The whole process had taken nearly twenty five minutes and Harttu sat back a bit after.

"Speaker, how many more are there?"

"Just one my friend. Do you need a break?"

"No, let us finish."

The dragon began chewing stone from the third box, emptying about three quarters of it. Then Harry placed the cup on a rock and watched as the last horcrux began to be cleansed. It took as long as the diadem, but the soul left with a wail and then Harttu sat back and didn't even speak for a few minutes. Harry had been so focused on the dragon, he hadn't seen Jaakko leave to meet another handler partway down the trail. He returned with two good size cows that had been petrified and were being levitated in front of him. Seeing the exhausted dragon, he set one down right next to Harttu. The dragon seemed to be re-energized when he saw his meal arrive. Harry felt a bit of apprehension and could feel Hermione's disgust as the dragon snapped off the head of the cow. While they had both been afraid of watching a dragon eat, he was actually quite neat. Another two bites saw the rest of the young cow be devoured with only a minimal amount of mess. Then Harttu used his long tongue to delicately wash his muzzle before cleaning each claw. His fastidiousness reminded them of a cat. Then he turned to regard Harry again.

"Speaker, the task is done. My thanks for seeing to the meal. This was tiring, but a noble effort indeed. I have a feeling that your own task is still long and I wish you well."

"My thanks Harttu my friend. Your power has amazed us all. Now that the items are cooling, they don't even appear damaged."

"I was careful with them, but now they are pretty baubles only. The magic they began with was cleansed along with the evil. That is the way it had to be. Now, I will say goodbye and finish the rest of my meal in the sun."

The dragon trotted off and Harry turned to see three female dragons that had exited the cave and come out to watch from a distance. Jaakko floated the second cow over and set it near the spot where Harttu had been sunning himself when they arrived. The dragon began the rest of his meal and Harry turned back to look at the four horcrux items. All had cooled enough to be handled and they all looked intact. He took each and placed them loosely in the ebony box, while leaving the different containment devices on the side. He then placed the box back in his bag and looked over at what was left of the stone they had brought, wondering what to do with it.

"Jaakko, thank you for your help with this. The stone we brought was specially mined in Russia and obviously has unique properties. Along with its magical properties, it is mildly radioactive. I'm unsure what to do with what is left. Harttu was quite efficient."

"Well, this has all been fascinating. I know you can't tell me what those items were and I'm sure I don't want to know. I am glad they are cleansed. As for the rock, we may be able to use it for experiments. There is an unused cave I can have it moved to if you want to leave it."

"That sounds fine. I don't have any use for it. I would ask that if Charlie wants to use it for something, that it be available to him."

"Of course."

"Not that I can think of a use for it."

"I'll just go ahead and put the lids back on and come back for them later. Now that Harttu has had his dinner, I believe I could use some as well."

Harry nodded in agreement, trying not to show how tired he was, as they began to follow Jaakko back down the trail. The sun was starting to lower in the sky and he realized that the task had taken longer than he realized. Still, four more horcruxes were destroyed, which made the long day more than worth it. The hike down the mountain seemed to take longer than usual and Harry began to drag, but kept trying to push himself. Hermione worried about him and clung tightly to his side, trying to support him and shooting him wary looks. Just as they were in sight of the first cabins, Harry felt the last of his energy leave him as he dropped to the ground.

Harry woke some time later in an unfamiliar bed. Looking around, he groaned as the place had the distinctive feel of a hospital wing, although it didn't look like Hogwarts. He looked to the side and saw the fuzzy perfection that was his wife.

"Mione?"

"Harry, you're awake! How do you feel?"

"Tired, fuzzy. Where am I? Wait, we were at the Finnish reserve…"

"And we're still there. Here, let me get your glasses, that will help with the fuzziness. This is the infirmary at the reserve. Their healer is really not happy with you. You pushed yourself too hard, made your back injury worse, and exhausted yourself. It's just after nine the next morning. Your back is a mess. Madam Pomfrey did a good job, but you opened up some of her work under the skin. It looks like a massive long bruise and the ligaments and muscles underneath pulled apart. The healer knit it back together magically, but he's not letting you fly out of here."

Harry saw the barely controlled concern in her face and reached to take her hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss.

"I'm sorry Mione my love. I hate worrying you."

"I know dear, although you seem to be good at it. The healer's name is Hans and he will be here shortly. I understand why you pushed to get this done this weekend, but of course he can't understand. He's good at what he does, but he's not gentle or reserved in his opinion."

A middle aged man with graying brown hair appeared at Harry's bedside and scowled at him just as Hermione was finishing her warning.

"That is most definitely correct Lady Potter. Hello my young lord. I see you've rejoined us. I don't know why you're here, but it had better be a good reason. Jaakko is mute on the matter. I can't believe your healer let you out of their care…"

Harry was annoyed by the man's condescending tone and had no patience for it as he cut off the healer's rant.

"I am Lord Harry James Potter of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter and heir to Godric Gryffindor!"

"Yes, yes, so I've heard and that title rubbish may work in England, but I'm not British. I suppose that's how you were allowed out on your 'errand'. Your wife has explained that you need to get back as soon as possible and your friend Mr. Weasley has been making use of the fast owls. His connections seem well placed and I've been informed that you are to be discharged as soon as possible. If I had my choice, you need another two weeks not moving from that bed. My opinion doesn't seem to matter though. I did expressly forbid another long broom ride and the reserve's director has authorized one emergency outbound portkey. Mr. Weasley worked with his contacts to make the portkey go straight to England and bypass the Tuimisto. I don't even want to know what kind of paperwork that took. Anyway, I think he almost has the arrangements in place. All I can ask is that when you get back to school, please put yourself in bed for a week at least."

"I'll see to that healer. And I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will have something to say as well."

Harry groaned at the idea of being chewed out by two healers, but Hans just shook his head and nodded. He ran a couple of diagnostic spells and gave Harry another potion to drink before leaving them alone again.

 _I really am sorry about all the fuss love. I guess I didn't realize how much of an injury I still had, but it was worth it._

 _I understand and I hate to agree, but yes it was worth it. Four more horcruxes gone. Still, I am going to be sitting on you if you don't stay in bed._

Harry briefly flashed her an image of just exactly how he wanted her to sit on him while leering at her suggestively. Hermione beat down the goosebumps the image gave her and tried to frown at him.

 _I don't think you'll be up to that kind of exercise for a while mister._

 _Well, I could let you do the work…_

Hermione tried to scowl at him, but had a hard time and instead decided to fix his blankets and ignore his naughty suggestions as he chuckled at her. He dozed for a bit longer before Charlie showed up. He looked happy to see Harry awake and looking a bit better.

"Hi Harry. Good to see they patched you up. I really had no idea how bad you were hurt. I know why you didn't want to delay, but gods man! Anyway, you've stirred up everyone around here. Jaakko has been helping to deflect a lot of curiosity. The director is not happy, but Jaakko told him enough without saying anything really important that he has backed off some. He also arranged a special one way portkey out of here. I think he will just be happy to see us gone. The portkey will take us to the international arrivals hall at the Ministry. It leaves in about twenty minutes. Hans just cleared you, so maybe we should get ready?"

Harry agreed and Charlie stepped away for a moment while Hermione helped Harry up and into his clothing. Even that simple task wore him out. Once they were done, she called Charlie back and Jaakko came with him. Hans followed a moment later and made the discharge official before leaving the four of them alone. Harry thanked and apologized to Jaakko profusely, but he brushed it off. After promises to stay in touch, Harry stood up and was ready to take hold of the portkey as soon as it began to glow. He was still weak, so Hermione wrapped an arm around him while Charlie took his elbow. Soon they felt the familiar tug as they left Finland and headed back to London.

They arrived a few minutes later in the international arrivals hall and Harry would have fallen on his face if he wasn't supported. He slowly let himself be led over to the customs desk. The young woman at the desk seemed surprised at who was in front of her, but also noticed how tired he seemed and passed them through with a flirty smile that annoyed Hermione. As soon as they left the international arrivals hall, Charlie led them toward the floos. As they prepared to leave their friend behind, Harry turned back to him.

"Thanks for everything Charlie. We'll have a meeting of all the allies as soon as possible and update everyone. I know you've had to pay extra for the portkeys and all…"

"No worries Harry. Anyway, your lovely wife already insisted on giving me some money for it all. And she is very persistent."

Harry chuckled and nodded as Charlie gave his arm a squeeze and wished them a final goodbye. Then Hermione turned them and they found a floo to take them back to Hogwarts. When they stepped out into the headmaster's office, Dumbledore looked at them with a bit of surprise that changed to worry when he saw Harry's condition.

"Lord and Lady Potter, welcome back! I must say, you look a bit worse for wear."

"Harry's injury was exacerbated during our trip headmaster. That's why we're back a bit later than planned. We were successful though. I'm sure you have questions, but I need to get my husband back in bed to rest and then have Madam Pomfrey check on him."

"I understand completely. I'm glad at least that the effort was worthwhile."

"One second Mione. I did promise him a memory. Headmaster, do you have a phial?"

Dumbledore nodded and drew one out of a drawer as he stepped around his desk. Harry drew his wand and carefully extracted the memory before placing it in the phial.

"Thank you Lord Potter. I will watch this immediately. Now, please get some rest."

Hermione then called Dobby, who took one look at Harry and shook his head before taking them both by a hand and carefully popping them back to their apartment. Hermione led Harry to the bedroom, stripped him to his boxers, and tucked him in. As his head aimed for the pillow, he was instantly asleep.


	25. Recovery

**Sorry for the delay. The muse has been fickle. This is a bit of an in between chapter, but the next will see what a lot of you have been waiting for. As a side note, my face book page that I mentioned before was turned off due to not being a real name. I used the name Flower Child, which was a bit obvious I guess. You can now find me under a new profile of flowerchild33fanfiction. This time I used the name Rose Enfant, which is a bit less obvious. Still, the picture shows me as flowerchild33. Thanks to everyone for the amazing feedback on this story.**

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Chapter 25 – Recovery

Harry ended up sleeping for a full day, with only a brief break when Madam Pomfrey came to check on him the next morning shortly after Hermione left for Monday classes. She fussed and fretted over him, but kept him on the same series of potions that Hans had assigned him. As much as he hated being fussed over, he couldn't deny how sore and tired he was. When Hermione stopped in for lunch, she showed him a few assignments, but that afternoon he found himself falling asleep on the couch when he tried to study.

The next week would see Harry make gradual improvement, although he remained out of class on Madam Pomfrey's orders. If not for his bond with Hermione and her excellent notes, he would have fallen drastically behind. He missed both sessions that week with Tonks, who stopped in briefly to both check on him and tease him a bit. He knew she would make him work once he was back to full health.

The Monday eight days after his return from Finland saw Harry finally back attending classes. Still, he was barred from physical activity, including Quidditch and defense training. He rankled at the restrictions and felt he was getting rusty, but a few sharp mental comments from Hermione quelled him.

While Harry recovered, the DMLE was busy running surveillance on a number of possible Death Eater locations. Malfoy Manor had always been a prime possibility and intelligence showed that Voldemort had most likely been there for a time, but the recent traffic showed only moderate usage of the building. Nearly two weeks after the trip to Finland, Tonks arrived on a Thursday night and had further news for the group of friends. Prior to starting training, she put up heavy wards in addition to what the Room of Requirement offered, then turned to address the group.

"Evening everyone. I've got news from Shack, with orders from Amelia to deliver to you directly. By the way, welcome back Harry. I've also got orders from Poppy that you are here to watch only, with a few mild stretches. Try anything more and she's authorized me to stun you. Anyway, all the work of the past weeks has the Death Eaters pinned down to one of a couple of locations, both quite remote and warded to hell and back. One is in Wales near Lake Lliwbran in Snowdonia. The other is near Craigencallie in Galloway. Both are sufficiently remote 'hunting lodges' of dark aligned families. It's still a bit early in the season for either to be in use, and the signs show that the groups have been in place for a while. We're having to be especially careful on surveillance, but hopefully with a bit of intel we'll pinpoint which one is most likely housing the Dark Bastard before he decides to move again. Not that Harry's up to snake hunting quite yet."

Harry had been ready to thank Tonks for the news when he was brought up short by her shrewd ending comment and the look she shot him. She chuckled when she saw the look on his face.

"Really Harry? It doesn't take Auror training to put together what your plans are. The training you've been doing, combined with this specific information tells me enough. Although why you're so interested in Voldie's pet I don't know. Mind you, I'm not fond of snakes period and from what I hear, that one of his is a nasty bit of work I wouldn't mind seeing toasted, but some of his followers are better targets."

Harry gave a bare nod as a number of thoughts floated through his head, and consequently Hermione's.

 _Yes Harry, I think perhaps we should consider adding Tonks to our alliance. She's beyond trustworthy and certainly has been helpful._

Harry mentally acknowledged Hermione's suggestion, although it would require more thought. In the meantime, Tonks seemed to have moved on and began to bark orders to everyone to start their warm ups. Harry set his thoughts aside and began the light stretches that Madam Pomfrey had assigned him. He was frustrated to find that they tired him more than he wanted to admit as he finished and sat back to watch the others drill.

Later that night after a long shower, the Potters curled up in bed together and talked quietly. While their mind speech was helpful, in the quiet times at night they enjoyed whispering and discussing the day and their plans.

"So Harry, you want to bring Tonks into the alliance?"

"Yes, although I've been thinking about that further. She is a Tonks of course, but she is also a Black, although her mother was disowned. I know from what Sirius has said that he didn't agree with her mother being disowned. I think I may talk to Sirius first. If he can bring her back into his house, then maybe she would already be allied."

"Hmm, that's a thought. If Sirius wants to do that. I know he's talked a bit about his cousins, but I don't know how close they are anymore. Tonks knows about as much as anyone not allied anyway, but I agree with approaching Sirius first. And you haven't seen him in a while."

"Yes, I was thinking about that. I'll send a note then tomorrow and see if he is free on Saturday? Does that work for you?"

"Actually, why don't you make it a boys' day? I think the two of you could use that time. After all, now that the bond has settled, it's important that we allow ourselves a bit of time away from each other."

Harry nodded in appreciation, liking the idea of time spent with Sirius. They talked for a few more minutes before capping the evening with a long kiss and waving off the lights.

The following evening, Hedwig returned with Sirius' excited reply. He informed Harry that he had a surprise and would be waiting at Grimmauld at two that afternoon and Harry should plan to return after dinner. The tone of the letter brightened Harry's spirits as he eagerly anticipated the day. Hermione was happy to see him well on the road to recovery and lifted from the gloominess that had overtaken him for a while.

Saturday morning dawned to a brilliant spring day, but Harry and Hermione were happy to remain in bed for their usual lie-in. Gradually they woke around nine and made love languidly as Harry spooned his love and slipped into her gently from behind, eliciting a long moan of appreciation. Many long minutes later, they came together and lay spent for a while before summoning Dobby to bring them breakfast in bed. Despite a pile of schoolwork and worries about Voldemort and the Death Eaters, they found these simple mornings to be vital to their mental wellbeing. Even Hermione, who once used to wake with study schedules in her head, found that all of those concerns fled when she was in Harry's arms on these delightful mornings.

After feeding each other breakfast, the Potters retreated to their private bath and spent a long while cleaning and pleasuring each other before they finally dressed and readied for the day. They made their way to the library, where they met up with their friends and spent the next several hours working through their long list of assignments. Shortly before two, Harry excused himself and dropped off his books in the apartment before pausing to center himself while he tapped into the castle wards and turned off the anti-apparition ward in the apartment. He sent a quick mental goodbye to his wife and then apparated to Grimmauld Place to meet Sirius. A minute after he left, Hermione tapped back into the wards to close the hole he had made upon his departure.

Upon apparating into the foyer at Grimmauld, Harry heard the sound of rapid footsteps as Sirius appeared from around the corner of the hall.

"Harry! You're here! Let me grab my coat, then I need to show you something in the back garden."

Harry smirked at his godfather's enthusiasm and walked down the hall toward the door to the back garden. Sirius joined him a minute later and went ahead, practically bouncing like an excited child. As Harry followed him out the door, he soon saw the reason for Sirius' mood. Planted between two neglected rose bushes was a monster of a motorcycle. It gleamed in the sunlight and Harry took a minute to look it over. It seemed at first to be a typical motorcycle, if one of the largest he had ever seen, but then Harry noticed a few additional buttons that were obvious add-ons. Sirius stepped over and put a loving hand on the bike.

"Isn't she brilliant? I got her back from Hagrid a few weeks ago. He's had her in a storage shed for years. Not the most water tight building either. She was a bit of a mess, but I've got her all cleaned up now. Even polished up her extra charms. I call her Brunhilda."

"Brunhilda? You named her? And how come it's a her?"

"Of course I named her. And all bikes and cars are female. That's how it works. So, I've got an extra helmet, you ready?"

Harry decided to not to question any further and just nodded as he took the offered helmet. Sirius climbed on first and then Harry swung on behind him. Looking around the small, city sized garden, he was curious how they were going anywhere. His question was answered shortly as Sirius revved the engine, punched a blue button, and Harry felt the bike take to the air. He was startled at first, but before he could start to holler questions, Sirius pushed two more buttons and then pulled his wand to cast a privacy bubble around them. The bubble lessened the noise and let them talk.

"No worries Harry. Levitation charm, suspension charm, disillusionment charm, muggle-repelling charm, wind-dampening charm, and a few other goodies all built into her. I'm also working on adding a portus so that I can travel quicker, but that has been having a few issues and the day is so nice, I thought we'd enjoy the flight. Brunhilda is as fast as most racing brooms."

Harry just nodded as Sirius cancelled the bubble and the wind hit their faces again as they soared over the outskirts of London and headed in a northwesterly direction. Harry didn't know where they were heading, but he was happy to be flying and even grew to appreciate the steady rumble of the large machine. They flew for just over an hour before Sirius began to gradually descend and cast the bubble again.

"We're almost there Harry. Just ahead you'll see Godric's Hollow. One of the few all magical villages in Britain, and home to your ancestors for hundreds of years. I'm going to circle a bit. Just north of the town is a small manor house that used to belong to the Peverells, distant ancestors of yours. As you can see, the place has expansive gardens leading into the woods. When I visited here with James and your grandparents on a couple of trips, James and I loved to fool around and get into mischief on the edge of the gardens. Your grandparents spent the time in the village talking to old friends. They loved Druimoor, but still felt a tie to this village. James liked it as well, which is why he bought a simple house here for his young family when he was looking for a place to hide."

"Why didn't he stay at Druimoor, wouldn't that have been safer? I haven't had a chance to get there yet."

"Well, that's something we need to talk about. I know you asked that I tell you anything I can remember and you've wanted to see the Hollow, so I thought today was a good day. We'll look around a bit and then head to the Crossed Wands for a pint. Sound alright?"

Harry nodded as Sirius angled the bike further down and came to a stop by a large oak tree next to a church. There was just one older gentleman across the street, but when Sirius canceled the disillusionment charm on the bike, the old wizard just gave a grin and a wave. Harry shook his head. Definitely a magical village. His gaze was drawn from the old man as he took in the small village. It looked like something from a Victorian postcard, the perfect small English village. Across from the church were a couple of shops, including a bakery that was emitting delightful smells. Further down the street he saw what looked like small cottages with walled English gardens in front. He swung off the bike and removed his helmet as Sirius began pointing out landmarks.

"From this spot you can see most of the village. Not very big, but certainly a pleasant little spot. Definitely not much for nightlife. Darts at the Crossed Wands is about the most you'll find and the average age of the participants is somewhere around their sixth decade. Here to the side of the church is the graveyard. I thought you may want to see it, but the choice is yours."

Harry took a deep breath as he turned and looked past the church to the hallowed ground with centuries of grave markers. Somewhere in there were the last monuments to his parents. He had asked Sirius to come here a couple of times. Was he ready now? He took a deep breath and looked at his godfather, who was waiting expectantly. Now was as good a time as any. The day was beautiful.

"Sure Sirius. This won't be easy, but I think I'm ready. When was the last time you were here?"

"The day after the funeral. Which was the day after my confrontation with Peter. I was on the run and stopped here briefly that night to say a final goodbye. I've thought about coming here since, but I felt it was only right to come with you."

Harry nodded and took the lead, walking down to the iron gate that passed through the stone walls of the cemetery. Once he was inside, Sirius touched his arm and gently guided him off to the left. They wound through numerous stones, but both remained quiet until they came to a newer slab of granite. It was simple, listing just his parents' names and dates, with a bit of scrollwork border around the edge. Sirius stood back as Harry stepped forward and lightly touched the stone. For a couple of minutes, only the wind swaying the trees could be heard. Harry choked back his tears then and knelt down to talk to his parents, now as close as he would ever be.

"Hi dad, hi mum. I finally made it here. I'm fifteen now. I feel there is so much I need to say, but I know you've been watching over me. And of course you helped me in the graveyard last year. Sirius is here too. He wasn't able to be here for a long time, but we got him cleared and he's free now. He's trying to make up for lost time. I miss you. I know that seems strange to say since I really don't have many memories of you, but I wish I did. You should know that I'm married now. Yeah, I know I'm young, but fate and magic didn't care. I'm soul-bound to my Hermione. She's muggleborn like you mum and absolutely brilliant. Next time I come here, I think I'll bring her with me. I know you'd love her. As for Voldemort, we're still working on him, but we've made a lot of progress. I guess you probably know something about me being the one who has to take care of him. Well, I don't like it, but I'm doing it. Once I finish him off I can stop worrying and just enjoy life with Hermione. She is the light that keeps me going. Someday she's going to give you beautiful grandchildren, but we think we can wait a few years. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that you've never been forgotten. Hermione and I will come back soon."

Harry paused and stayed in quiet contemplation for another minute before leaning forward and kissing the first letter in each of his parents' names. Then he stood and turned to Sirius, who stepped forward to look down on the gravestone. Harry gave him a couple of minutes while Sirius quietly spoke to his friends. Then Sirius turned and put an arm around Harry's shoulder as the two of them wandered back out of the graveyard. As they did, Sirius stopped at an older grave marker, where Harry saw his grandparents' names. After a few moments there, Sirius pointed out more generations of Potters, as well as Peverells and even a Longbottom and a Black that had married into the Potter line. Harry was surrounded by family for the first time, even if they were all long gone.

"Tell me Sirius, why is everyone buried here? Why not Druimoor or somewhere close?"

"History is important to us magicals Harry. Druimoor is only three hundred or so years old. Your ancestors have been buried here for seven hundred or more years. There are bones of Potter ancestors in this graveyard whose markers are gone or unreadable. That was one reason why James' parents liked to bring James back here regularly. They loved Druimoor, but they still felt the bonds to this village. I hope you can get to Druimoor maybe this next summer. I know the goblins have kept it maintained, but have them check the wards as well. With no one there, there hasn't been ambient magic to keep them charged. It's a beautiful manor though. I think Hermione will like it."

Harry nodded as they reached the gate and began to walk out into the village. Their next stop was on the corner of a row of homely cottages. The quaint scene was broken by the sight of one burned out cottage missing the corner of the top floor. Harry suddenly had an idea of what this place was. Then he saw the small statue across the street. It depicted a young couple, with the man holding a wand aloft, while the woman cradled a baby in her arm. Harry stepped over to read the simple plaque that was a memorial to his parents and himself. Then he turned back to the house and saw a memorial plaque on the gate as well.

"The town council decided on the memorial Harry. The townspeople and some others from around the area chipped in for the statue. I know you don't like the fame, but what happened here is important history to this village."

Harry nodded. No, he didn't really like it, but he figured if it was what the town wanted, then it was long past when he could complain. It wasn't like he would ever want to rebuild the cottage and use it. He shrugged and turned back to Sirius, who took the hint and led him back into the main part of the village.

A short distance down the one main street, a faded wooden sign bore a picture of two crossed wands with a flagon of ale underneath. It was to the door under this sign that Sirius led Harry. Stepping into the pub, it looked much like most other old wizard pubs, if a bit smaller. Sirius shook his head when he saw the old man behind the counter.

"Gordon! You're still kicking around here?"

The bartender pushed his glasses up his nose and squinted for a moment before a light of recognition hit him.

"Sirius Black! I was wondering when you'd get back around here. And…wait…that has to be. Mr. Potter?"

"Yes, hello, my name's Harry."

"Well of course you are! Spittin' image of your da you are. It's good to have you back in Godric's Hollow. Bit early for dinner, but I can cook you up something if you're feeling peaked."

"Maybe some pints and an order of chips for now. Harry?"

"Sure. Chips sound good."

Gordon nodded and drew the pints, which he brought to the table that Harry and Sirius had claimed. Only one other patron was in the bar, a middle age wizard who said nothing, but raised his pint in a friendly salute as they sat. While Gordon went to cook the chips, Sirius took a long draw on his drink and then looked at Harry.

"So Harry, I promised you one day that I'd tell you about your parents. The good, bad, everything. There's a lot to tell, but I figure now's a good time…"

Harry sipped his drink as he looked to Sirius expectantly and hung on his words as Sirius began to spin tales of a young James Potter, his friends, and future muggleborn paramour. Sirius recounted first meeting the brash young lord to be and freely admitted that the two pureblood sons were cocky and full of themselves. Somehow they befriended the shy halfblood Remus Lupin, who managed to tame them just a bit. Along the way, a sad boy named Peter attached himself to them. He talked not just about school adventures, but summertime as well. Sirius usually went home to his family for a couple of weeks and then fled to the Potters for the rest of the summer. In sixth year, he was living there for the full summer and Lily had finally acquiesced to James' charms. That summer she took it upon herself to educate the Marauders in a different kind of muggle studies as she dragged them onto the London Tube and around town to different sights.

The afternoon waned as Sirius wove tales of lost friends. By the time they finished their second pints the chips were gone and it was dinner time. As the pub began to gradually fill, a string of residents stopped by the table to say hello to the two famous visitors. Gordon's specialty for the night was steak and kidney pie and both men enjoyed large helpings and a few more pints as they let the evening drag on. As Sirius paused in his storytelling to finish his pie, Harry decided to bring up something else that he had almost forgotten.

"Sirius, I appreciate you telling me all this about my parents and such. It's important that I get to know them as best as I can. I was wondering if we could talk about your family for a bit."

Sirius raised an eyebrow and gave Harry a guarded look. Then Harry cast a quiet muffliato around their table and caused his godfather to sober a bit as Harry started talking.

"I wanted to know a bit about what your plans are for the House of Black? We're allied now and I need to know if there is anything that will affect the alliance. Specifically, I'm concerned about your cousins."

"Ah, I see. That's understandable then. I should have thought of that sooner before I got lost in the past. You're right that you need to know. I assume by cousins, you mean my immediate first cousins. Merlin knows how many layers of distant Black cousins there are around Britain. Anyway, that is something I've been working on. Nothing official yet. There are some waiting periods on actions that I can take upon assuming my official head of house status. I took my house ring two days after you got me cleared. The waiting period for house contracts and petitions is one hundred days. That passed not long ago and I've been talking to the goblins since about how to do this properly. I actually met with Andi last week. That would be Andromeda Tonks, your potions teacher. She was quite complimentary of you and the missus by the way. She is happy that I agreed to reinstate her in the family and we have a meeting this next week at Gringotts to formalize it. Her schedule is a bit difficult with school as you probably know. As for Narcissa, I sent her a formal letter advising that I will reinstate her to the family if she agrees to certain conditions and takes an appropriate oath. I know about Lucius' passing, so her marriage contract is fulfilled. As for dear old Bella, I'm finalizing disowning her from the family based on her conviction. That also means I can reclaim the bride price from the Lestranges. That though is a bit sensitive and we have to time the announcement and actions precisely with Gringotts."

Sirius had stated the last in a whisper as he leaned across the table, despite the muffliato Harry had cast. Harry took a moment to absorb everything, although it wasn't really a surprise. He finished his current pint and looked over at Sirius.

"Alright, thanks. You've been busy. Bringing Andi back into the family helps though since the Blacks are allied. That would make her daughter a Black as well, correct?"

"Yes, dear Nymphadora is being brought into the family at least until she marries. She's included in the wording of the reinstatement. I think I see why you are interested. Andi and I plan to finalize the paperwork on Tuesday afternoon."

"Excellent. After that then I guess I can talk to Tonks and give her the full story on everything. Honestly, I trust her, but we need the oath. She knows as much already as anyone not allied to me. She's been a good friend and it will be good to be done with secrets."

Sirius waved for refills and then they toasted loudly to 'NO MORE SECRETS!'. Finally around nine, Harry was feeling tired and Sirius noticed as they said a hearty goodbye to Gordon and left the pub. Harry stumbled a bit as Sirius laughed at him.

"Lightweight! We only had a few pints."

"Seven Sirius. And I haven't had your experience. I'm glad you're driving."

"Not to worry, Brunhilda would get us home on her own. Want to try the portus? I think it's close to working."

Harry shrugged, feeling quite content with whatever Sirius had in mind. They reached the bike and climbed on. As soon as Sirius had them in the air, he activated a switch on the side of the handlebars. Harry was feeling drowsy, but was immediately awakened by the feeling of his entire body being pulled in two directions. Thankfully the feeling only lasted a few seconds before he heard a huge noise and suddenly saw the garden of Grimmauld Place fifteen meters below as the bike tumbled forward and dropped precipitously. A meter off the ground, their movement suddenly stopped before there was a loud cough from the tailpipe and the bike fell the rest of the way, landing on its side. Sirius stood first and pulled Harry up. Neither were hurt, but Harry's stomach was feeling rebellious. Sirius removed his helmet and ran his hand through his hair.

"Um…well…maybe a bit more work like I said."

Harry just nodded and handed his helmet to Sirius. Contemplating how to get back to school, he knew he could have Hermione open the wards, but he was feeling foggy enough that he decided against apparition. Following Sirius in the house, he gave his godfather a hug and then stepped into the floo as he called for the headmaster's office. When he stepped out of the floo, he was met with a surprised Dumbledore, who looked up and took a moment to realize who was coming through the normally limited access floo.

"Ah, good evening Lord Potter. Everything alright? You look a bit worn."

Harry shook his head. He had definitely had enough drunken magical travel for the night.

"Hello headmaster, sorry for intruding. I figured floo was safer. I've been out with Sirius."

"I see, well that explains it then. Have a good night. Careful on the stairs."

Harry waved to the headmaster and made his way carefully back to his apartment. He felt Hermione's mental touch and knew she was aware that he was back in the castle. When he stepped into their apartment, she looked up from the book she was reading and smirked at him.

 _I take it you and Sirius had a good time?_

 _Yes. Not easy, but it was good. We went to the Hollow, visited my parents and then went to a pub. He told me a lot about them. I'll tell you all the stories later. Oh, and he got his motorcycle fixed up. Or mostly. Still needs some work with the portus charm. Straight flying though, Brunhilda is great._

 _Brunhilda?_

 _That's her name. The bike that is. I didn't ask. This is Sirius. Anyway, I need a hot shower._

 _I'll join you…_

Hermione set her book aside and Harry took her hand, although she felt a slight bit of hesitancy and looked at him.

 _Sorry love, it's not you. I'm feeling a bit tender. Not sure how…um…energetic I'll be tonight. I actually was a pint or two behind Sirius and he didn't look half as bad._

 _He's had a bit more practice. Anyway, no worries, you can make it up to me tomorrow when you're feeling better. Come to think of it, you were out of commission for almost two weeks. We have quite a bit to make up._

Despite his fragile state, Harry roused a bit as he pulled his wife in for a long kiss. Then she gently led him to the shower. Their activities for the night were limited to gently washing each other with a few kisses along the way. After a leisurely round of drying, Hermione tucked her tired husband into bed, where he fell asleep immediately.

The next morning Harry woke with a groan and pulled his pillow over his head, either trying to block out the harsh morning light or smother himself. Either or both sounded fine at that moment. From beneath the pillow he heard the faint sounds of Hermione's laughter and then her voice came through his aching head.

 _If you want to surface for a minute, I sent Dobby to Madam Pomfrey for a hangover potion._

Harry tossed the pillow aside and gingerly peeked out of squinted lids long enough to see the phial that Hermione was holding. She pressed it to his lips and he tilted his head back, sucking the noxious brew down gratefully. It hit his stomach like lead, but then a coolness began to disperse outward. Within a couple of minutes, he let out a long sigh and opened his eyes more.

"Thank Merlin for potions! Ugh, that felt worse than being hit by a bludger."

"Maybe next time don't try to keep up with Sirius."

Harry nodded in agreement. That wise knowledge was more than obvious now. With another groan of thanks, he rolled off the bed and headed for the loo. When he returned to the living room, he found that Dobby had delivered breakfast and sat down to enjoy the meal and discuss the day with Hermione.

The rest of Sunday was spent predictably in studies with their friends, followed by a mid-afternoon Quidditch practice for the Gryffindor team. It was Harry's first since his injury and it felt good to be on a broom again. Although he wouldn't admit it, Hermione could tell he was aching afterward and treated him to a massage with healing salve.

Monday saw them back into the usual schedule of classes and Harry was feeling well enough that he was once again bristling at the seeming normality of life. That evening was his first back with the allies and defense training. Tonks arrived a bit early and indicated that they needed to talk first as everyone followed her up to the Room of Requirement. As soon as they entered, she had Harry set the room's privacy and then added her own charms on top of it, causing a few to look at her warily.

"Alright Harry, good to have you back with us full on. I have some news before we get started. Amelia wanted me to tell you that Wales might be a good place to go hunting for rare magical creatures. Specifically the south side of Lake Lliwbran. There's a large hunting lodge there that has been way too busy for that remote bit of wilderness. Also, the individuals seen in the vicinity are not exactly nature types. She advised that the place has significant wards matching any of the most heavily fortified Ancient Manors. You have to stay four hundred meters away at a minimum and she says it could still be risky. I hope you don't mind a bit of friendly advice, but you're already out of shape. Give yourself a couple of weeks at least. I may only be guessing at what you've got planned, but I don't think I'm far off."

"Hmm, alright, thanks Tonks. At least we have a goal. And I'm ready to get to work. Also, by the time you're here on Thursday, I believe your mother and Sirius will have completed paperwork with the goblins and we will be able to talk more."

Tonks' eyes widened just a bit and she gave a bare nod.

"Yes, I see. Well Thursday will be interesting then. In the meantime, drop and let's start with two hundred pushups. That means everyone!"

The entire group dropped to start a long and grueling workout. Harry's back started aching halfway through, but he pushed on. By the time Tonks finally declared the evening done, he barely managed to stumble into the shower with Hermione's help. He was definitely out of shape, but at least now he had a goal to work for. That night, in the brief seconds before slumber took him, he had a last vision of a large snake slithering through a forest on the edge of a lake.


	26. Snake Hunting

**Hi everyone. Yes, finally back. I know this has been a long time coming. The muse for this story left. Combined with the fact that I have been fighting a bad spate of migraines that have put me out of work. This is the worse that I have had since I was knocked out of school years ago. Thankfully a new medicine seems to be helping. They don't come every day, but three to four times a week is too often when I take a day to recover. I have been writing some in between, but it wasn't this, because the muse refused to visit. I am sorry, but I had another story that forced itself through my pain addled brain. I actually had a story that was coming at me while I was wearing sunglasses because the screen was too bright and hurt. I know, craziness. Anyway, that one is done and I will be posting and trying to focus back on this one now. I also plan on getting back to work soon when I get cleared by the doc. I hope you enjoy this chapter. As I've said before, I will never abandon a story, even if I leave it for a while.**

o-o-o-o

Chapter 26 – Snake Hunting

The next couple of days saw Harry gradually increasing his workouts as he was determined to regain his fitness. Hermione saw to it that he tempered his resolve. Their professors helped the effort by heaping schoolwork on them that required most of his focus as well. Gradually though he felt a bit of his strength returning.

On Thursday night, Tonks arrived a bit earlier than expected and asked that they meet in the apartment first. All of the allies adjourned there first and Hermione and she both laid down privacy wards after she handed Harry a letter with the Black house seal. When Harry opened it, he found what he had expected in the note from Sirius. Andromeda had been reinstated to the house of Black, and her daughter with her, at least until Nymphadora married. That brought them both under the oaths of the Black family. With that assurance, Harry set the note aside and called Dobby to bring them drinks before turning his gaze on Tonks.

"Alright Tonks, you probably know that we've been holding back on some information. Only allies to House Potter have been privy to everything. House Black is an ally. Now that you are part of House Black, that makes you an ally. Are you ready to know everything? This will take a while, and it's a bit much to take."

"Enough already my lord. I'm not daft. I've had enough of the walking on dragonshells. I'm not some princess in a tower. I'm a bloody Auror. And Dobby, don't you have something stronger to drink?"

The elf quaked a bit and nodded before popping out and returning with firewhiskey. Tonks grabbed the bottle, uncapped it and waved it at Harry in an obvious motion to tell him to get on with it. Sighing, Harry begin the long tale of the prophecy and the horcruxes, including removing the one from his head, as well as destroying the others they had found. By the time he was done, their training time for the evening was almost done and the firewhiskey bottle had made a couple of circuits of the room, which had grown quiet as Harry finished. It was Tonks who broke the quiet.

"Well damn, I've heard of a lot of reasons for house secrets, but that definitely caps it. Alright, I understand the snake hunting. Unfortunately, we're out of time tonight. I should have some time this weekend. I was going to meet up with a shag buddy, but you need to get back in shape more than I need to get my brains shagged out. We'll try to meet three times a week at least. Hey you, if you're going to choke on the booze, hand it over. Anyway, I think I'm done in for tonight. Let's plan on Saturday. Maybe at one. Yes, I only have a morning shift. I can meet Chris later then. That will still work both ways. Why is Ron gaping like a fish? Anyway, we'll plan on that. If something changes with my schedule, I'll owl you. Does that work?"

"Sure Tonks, that sounds fine. Thanks. I want to get back in shape before the Death Eaters decide to move again."

"Well then, I'll see you all then. It's almost curfew. Dobby, can you pop me out to the gates?"

The elf left with the Auror, leaving the student allies behind. Ron still looked stunned. Blaise meanwhile found his voice.

"Did she say she needed to get her brains shagged out?"

Hermione looked around at the glazed expressions around the room and shook her head. She decided it was time to clear her apartment.

"Yes, some of us need that on occasion. Now, all of you out!"

Everyone scrambled, with Neville and Ron blustering while their girlfriends chuckled. Hermione then turned back around and looked at her husband. Harry grinned and held out his hand. She took it and allowed herself to be pulled into his embrace. They kissed for long minutes and she briefly had had the fleeting thought that they should study a bit more but then Harry tossed her blouse aside and began to work her bra loose. As he brushed across her nipples, she moaned and any rational thought left her. Soon his clothes began to be tossed as well and her skirt soon decorated a lamp. What had started casual soon gained a frenzy that they hadn't had in weeks due to Harry's convalescence. It was something they both needed and each felt like they were on fire, racing for satisfaction. They enjoyed making love, but now each felt the other's raw, animal need. There was no time to make it to the bedroom. No time for gentle caresses and endearments. Bare minutes after Hermione had scared their friends away, they were grinding against each other, naked and sweaty as their mouths sought to devour and their hands clutched everywhere. They bumped sideways into the couch and Harry was struck by inspiration as he positioned his wife over the couch and spread her hips wide, burying his fingers into her as he did. She was wet and he nearly growled in anticipation, happy that she was ready, as he couldn't wait any longer. A second later he buried himself deep into her from behind. The rough texture of the couch rubbed her clit, only adding to the sensation and causing Hermione to come almost immediately. Harry lasted barely two strokes, aided by the pulsing of his love around his cock. Still, he continued pounding into her, driving them both onward. Later they would both reflect and be glad for the thick stone walls, as neither had cast charms before they began. Eventually they settled and Harry slipped loose from his love. As they caught their breath, he gathered her in his arms and stumbled toward the bedroom, falling across the bed as they lay together, staring at each other with their minds and hearts linked.

The next morning the Potters would have been late to class if their elf had not arrived, blindfolded, ringing a bell to wake them. He also carried a breakfast tray. They thanked him and took the tray. It was unusual to have breakfast in bed on a week day, but after their exercises the night before, they welcomed the respite. Still, they had to rush a bit more than the weekend. After eating, they made the unfortunate decision that they should shower separately if they wished to be at class on time. Still, they just barely made it, with Harry's hair still dripping. Given Hermione's parting comment the night before, Ron was groaning at what their late appearance meant.

Saturday saw the Potters returning to their morning exercises and then back to their studying. After lunch, everyone was waiting outside the Great Hall when Tonks arrived and they all made their way to the Room of Requirement for their training. Now that she knew the full truth, Tonks drilled them with renewed fervor and even seemed more understanding of Harry's snake drills. By the end of the training session, everyone was groaning and went their separate directions to hot showers.

The following Monday saw the official one month countdown to the first OWL test and Hermione truly begin to fret and outlined revision schedules for herself and Harry, with a strong emphasis to their fifth year friends that they would be wise to join them. Their professors seemed to be of the same mind and poured on the pressure even more than before.

One curiosity that was added to that Monday was the addition back to their classes of a pompous young Lord Malfoy. Draco had left school several days after he had taken the dreaded oath. Nothing had been officially acknowledged about Lucius' death, but Draco had been gone one night and had not returned for over a week. Now he was back wearing lord's robes and strutting about the castle. At least the oath kept him from harassing the Potters and their allies. He still looked at Harry with disdain, but he said nothing to them at least. And of course they knew that the Dark Lord was no longer able to lodge on Malfoy grounds any longer either as well. Draco would probably always hate him, but at least he could never actively oppose him outright.

Tonks kept her promise and increased their exercises to three times a week. It was a chore given their increased studies, but Quidditch was done for the year at least. It had been a tight year, with an amazing three way run between Gryffindor, Slytherin and Ravenclaw. A bare fifty points separated the three, but Gryffindor had pulled out a win for the cup, causing a couple of rare McGonagall smirks. It also left more blocks of time free to focus on training. Harry found his form returning quickly, even if his back still twinged more than he liked to acknowledge. Of course, Hermione always knew and was ready to provide him private massages once their friends had left.

That was something else that seemed to be going well, all of their friends' relationships. Each pairing seemed well matched and despite minor arguments, the couples seemed to be weathering well. It was something Harry pondered one night when he and Hermione were cuddling in bed in the last minutes before sleep claimed them.

"Mione, I've been wondering something. About our friends. I'm glad Blaise and Susie patched up. Whatever he did really set her right quick. It seems strange though the way our friends seem to have found lasting matches. I've noticed they don't seem to switch around like others. I mean I know we are the lucky exception to have a soul blond and I thank the gods every day for it, but I've been thinking a bit on relationships. Back in my school in Little Whinging, no one was ever serious. Even in the older grades. Here at Hogwarts, no one gets serious until about fifth year. By sixth year, everyone is serious and by sixth or seventh a lot of people start settling on a partner. No one did that in the muggle world that I know of."

"I'm surprised that you noticed Harry, but you notice more than most guys. I've thought about it quite a bit and I think once again it comes down to magic. Our magic, as well as fate brought us together, but magic plays a good bit in bringing together most magicals I think. It helps people find who they're compatible with. At least if they allow their magic to work and don't fight it while paying attention to superficial things light looks and money. That only makes the arranged pureblood marriages even worse. If they would only allow their magic to work, magicals could have even better and happier marriages than non-magicals. I think though that a person's magic has to mature for it to really work. That's why you see it more in the older years. In the younger years you still have hormonal teenagers who want what they see in the older years and what their hormones say they should want, but their magic isn't working well enough yet. As for our friends, well I'm not sure about them. They're fifth year, so they're on the edge of magical maturity. Except for Ginny and Luna, although they're above average intelligence and magical ability. Anyway, I have a theory. With the extra study, as well as everything we've been through together, I think it's pushed their magical maturity some. Not a lot, but enough that their magic is able to recognize a good match. We'll see if it lasts. Again, this is theory based some on a bit of knowledge."

"Well, your theory is usually right. And it makes sense. We'll see what happens. They're all good friends at least. I can't see that changing."

Hermione gave him a kiss and then the two dozed off with that last thought.

Over the next week, Tonks continued their drills and Harry was finally able to once again match his times that he had been making before his injury. She also kept him updated on intelligence and advised that there was no updates on major movements of Death Eaters. They were still making small raids on muggles towns, but everything the DMLE had was leading them to believe that a bigger operation was in the works. That of course worried Harry and he knew it was time to put his own plans in place to go snake hunting. Hermione hated it, but she also knew it had to be done. The snake was the final horcrux. It was now well into May and even in Wales it would be warm enough for the snake to be out hunting. It was time to make the hunter the hunted.

That Saturday night all the friends met in the Potter apartment for a brainstorming session. Tonks had provided a map of the Lake Lliwbran area in detail and they pored over it. They knew the wards were 400 meters out, but decided not to approach anywhere closer than 450 for guaranteed safety. Harry hoped with the time that Voldemort had been there that a snake as large as Nagini would have hunted out or scared off anything closer.

Looking at the lake, it was situated in a valley that once had been quite isolated. Now there was a narrow roadway that skirted the north side of it, although it didn't look to be heavily trafficked. The south side though was still as rugged and uninviting as ever. Tonks was going to arrange a portkey that would drop Harry and Hermione off on the edge of the muggle road. They would wear muggle clothes and appear to be a young muggle couple out for a romantic walk by the lakeside. Apparently there was a hiker's hostel a few kilometers up the road that they could claim to have gotten lost from if needed. Harry didn't like the idea of including Hermione, but she rightly pointed out that she was always with him in a way anyway. And if he did something stupid and died then it wouldn't matter how safe she was tucked away. He hated it when she was logical.

Once they were on their 'lover's stroll' along the lake, they would hike south under a disillusionment charm and begin the search for both Death Eaters on watch and also for Nagini. Harry planned to call her out if he could, but that brought up another question. He knew parseltongue, but what exactly did snakes say when they met up with one another or when they were hunting? What was casual snake conversation when out hunting? That subject was batted around a bit and it was decided that Harry needed to do some snake research. Which led to the decision that Harry should make a trip to Reptile House at the London Zoo the following day. Since it was Sunday, he had no hard and fast plans. He offered Hermione to come along, but the Reptile House wasn't her favorite part of the zoo and she saw no reason to set her revision schedule in disarray. Still, it was best that Harry not go alone and surprisingly it was Blaise who volunteered to join him.

With the plans made for snake research, the next decision was when to actually start hunting. Logically they knew that it might take a number of nights before they would meet with success. It was already May 18th, with the new moon having been the night before. OWLs were scheduled for June 17th-20th. With that in mind, Harry decided to start on the night of Friday, May 24th. The 25th would be a half moon, allowing enough light without being ridiculously bright. He hoped for success in those three days. If not, maybe the following weekend. Or maybe they would try during the week. He would regroup after the weekend if not. With initial plans made, the group called it a night shortly before curfew and dispersed.

The following day saw Harry and Blaise leaving mid-morning and flooing to the Leaky Cauldron in London. They were dressed muggle and Harry led them out to a nearby Tube stop. Blaise looked a bit bewildered and Harry gave him a quick lesson on reading the map of the different lines as he explained the train. Then he led his pureblood friend to a ticket machine and bought them tickets before they caught the train that would take them to the zoo. Blaise seemed amazed throughout the ride, but managed to keep from saying anything untoward, which was better than Ron would have done. At the zoo stop, Blaise took a moment to get familiar with the escalator and then looked around in stunned silence as they arrived at the entrance to the zoo. Harry bought their tickets and then decided to look at a couple of exhibits on their way to the Reptile House. They reached the reptiles in good time though and Harry was happy to find that a python was being fed. They spent a good hour plus watching and listening. Harry found the snakes quite interesting, but could tell Blaise was ready to leave.

Exiting the building, Harry found an outside restaurant and they sat down to watch flamingos while they ate burgers. The table he had selected was purposefully out of the way and Harry cast a discrete muffliato. Blaise noticed and sighed.

"Thanks Harry. I tell you, this trip was for you today, but I've learned more than you I think. You should bind up everyone in Slytherin house and drag them into muggle London. Just taking a ride on the Tube will make them see muggles different."

"Well, Hermione has been saying since first year that muggle studies is horribly out of date. She says it needs to be updated and also needs to be compulsory."

Blaise snorted.

"Good luck with that. Although, if anyone can…"

Harry nodded as he munched his chips. Blaise had the right of it when it came to Hermione.

"So, did you get what you needed from the snakes?"

"Yes, I think so. The pythons are quite interesting. The vipers were quite dull and the rat snake barely spoke at all. I have no idea what breed Nagini is, or was at one time. But I think I have enough of an idea. I think if we can get close enough to her, I can sound like a competing snake trying to lure food and hopefully that will lure her to come to me."

"Have you thought more about what Ron said, about how you're going to fight her?"

"Yes, Hermione and I talked after you all had to leave for curfew. As the heir of Gryffindor, I can call for the sword at any time. I think I'll try to call for it before we leave. Then I'll leave it in the apartment. If we're going to use the cover of lost hikers, I don't think having a large, ancient sword in my backpack will help the cover story. If we find Nagini, I'll use my signet and call for it then."

"I suppose that will work. As long as you can hold her off."

Harry nodded and finished off his lunch. The plan still had some unknowns, but like always, he would work it out as he went.

Back at Hogwarts later that day, all the friends were studying and Harry confirmed that the zoo trip accomplished what he had planned. Blaise also regaled everyone with the wonders of the muggle world. Susan especially was amused at her excited boyfriend. Although she was pureblood, Amelia saw to it that her niece was more exposed to the muggle world and she found it entertaining to see Blaise act like a small boy with new wonders.

When Tonks arrived the following Tuesday, she was early again and they all adjourned back to the Potter apartment for the anticipated briefing. As usual, she didn't delay.

"Alright everyone, what's the expected schedule for snake hunting?"

"Starting this coming Friday evening."

"Alright, that's about when I expected. I've got a portkey for you. Multi-use, set to the location we discussed. Return use, means wherever you activate it from, the next time you use it, it returns you to that spot. These can only be created by department directors. It comes straight from Amelia. Guard it carefully. If you're going to be captured, the last thing you do should be to light it on fire. Also, I have some Auror prisoner portkeys. If you run across guards, feel free to stun, bind, and send them back with these. Once you have them incapacitated, just drop one of these on them and tap it with your wand. They'll end up back in a holding cell for processing and questioning. I know your focus is on the snake, but I figure there's no reason if you trip across a Death Eater not to get one or two out of the way as well."

Harry nodded, it made sense. And it didn't involve killing, just incapacitating and arresting basically.

"Alright, well, Amelia wishes you luck. If you get in trouble though, she can't send in official backup. Any individuals who want to go in on their own may be another matter. She did say that she hopes to have more to move on in a couple more weeks. Now, let's get moving. You lot have been spending too long in the books, you're looking soft!"

Everyone shook their heads, but no one objected as Tonks chivvied them out of the apartment and began to run them up to the seventh floor.

Although Tonks couldn't free up time to see to more training before Friday, Harry and Hermione ran snake drills on Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday, they did their usual morning workouts, but Harry decided that with the actual initial hunt that night that they'd drilled as much as they could. The rest of the day was spent trying to focus on classes and the more the more mundane aspects of life, however difficult it might be.

Dinner that night was quieter than usual, although Hermione did her best to make normal dinner conversation with their friends. When they'd finished eating, the Potters and their allies excused themselves back to the apartment to try to study for a couple of more hours. It was largely futile, but it helped to be surrounded by their friends in their personal environment. A simple lightened bag with the few supplies they would need was triple checked and finally declared satisfactory. They really didn't need much except a couple of bottles of water and heavier jumpers in case the night got cooler. It would also help with their cover of being hikers. The bag also included a hidden pouch with a few healing potions that Hermione was bringing along just in case. All of the portkeys were secured in hidden pockets in their muggle pants as well.

A few minutes before nine all their friends wished them well, including Dobby, who took the note that he was to deliver to the headmaster. It was to explain the fluctuation in the wards that the headmaster would feel shortly. Then Hermione dipped into the castle wards and opened a hole within the wards in their apartment that would allow their portkey to work. With the wards adjusted, she and Harry took hold and Harry activated the portkey a moment later. With the Potters gone, all their friends took a moment to collectively sigh and then departed together.

The Potters felt the tug and swirl of the portkey for a few brief seconds and then landed with only a bit of a stumble in stubby grass and rocky terrain a few meters off the side of a disused roadway. They took a moment to get their bearings, glad for a bit of moonlight. There was no sign of anyone around and Hermione cast a spell to get a quick compass pointing. Once they were oriented, they disillusioned themselves and walked a bit down the valley and soon saw the lake. Even in the faint moonlight, they could tell that it would be quite picturesque in the daytime. The valley on the other side was supposed to be steep, but they were glad that the side they were on was more gradual, with less rocks and more grassy slope, just now starting to green. Harry used a spell that allowed him to mark how far they were walking and they made gradual progress, going slow and listening for any sign that they had company around them. At one point they startled slightly, but realized the sound was only a distant owl hooting and they moved along.

They had been walking for close to an hour and knew they must be nearing the south end of the lake when a new and strange sound suddenly caused them to stop. It was hard to place at first and then Harry grimaced. It was a person slurping a drink rather noisily. Whoever it was sounded like a slob. The person stopped drinking then and began to mutter to himself.

"…bloody bastar..Travers…always getting…mes in troubles…Georgie…you left the wing door open…you gots to go check the far wards…bloody far wards…damn long walk…damn far wards…not like I'm gonna argue…Hodgson put up a fuss before…gots himself a personal audience with the Dark Lord…no Georgie knows better…Georgie be checkin the far war…"

Hermione had heard enough. Georgie had rambled long enough to provide them a good target and she cast a stunner in the direction of the mumbling, which suddenly stopped. She then cast an accio and a string bean of a man came zooming toward them from about forty meters away, giving them a good idea of where the wards were. The man was in his forties, with balding grey hair and a motley assemblage of robes. Harry cast an incarcerous on him as Hermione produced one of the portkeys that Tonks had provided and dropped it on the man. A quick touch of her wand and the sloppy wizard winked out on his way to a holding cell.

 _Well, that's one thing accomplished tonight. If he was checking the wards, I would guess from where he was standing, they are about twenty five meters from us. I think we can walk another twenty meters and be safe._

 _Sounds good love. We knew this was going to take a few nights probably. Anyway, one less Death Eater, even if he was low level._

Hermione gave a mental nod and they moved forward a few meters and then skirted at a safe distance. Harry began speaking in parseltongue on occasion, general calls for food that he had heard from different snakes at the zoo. He heard no other snakes in the vicinity. He and Hermione spent another couple of hours walking in a criss-cross pattern, but had no further luck and decided to call it a night. As promised, the portkey returned them back to the apartment. As soon as they returned, Harry closed the hole in the wards. After a quick shower, they happily crawled into bed and both agreed that a lie-in was called for.

The Potters' friends didn't see them until lunch on Saturday. The afternoon was spent studying as usual and then the evening was spent much the same as the night before. Unfortunately, that night's hike was even less eventful than Friday night's, as not even a lowly Death Eater was encountered. With a light rain also falling, they were miserable as well and called it early.

On Sunday, Tonks arrived at Hogwarts just after lunch and joined everyone in the Room of Requirement for training. First though, she wanted to check in on the hunt and update them on their 'arrest'.

"We received your delivery on Friday. George Jensen, low level hood with a long list of crimes and a total of six years spent in Azkaban over the last twenty years, most of it medium security. One of those that is more of a headache and nuisance. Anyway, he was high enough to be marked though, which meant he warranted veritaserum. Also means he'll be in Azkaban longer this time. He didn't give us more than we already know about Voldemort's base. Good for confirming though. And one less cannon fodder for the Dark Lord. Any other luck?"

"Not yet. We've only had two nights. And the weather last night was miserable. I'm surprised Georgie was that highly placed. We'll be back tonight. And I think I want to keep going at least for the week. I want to use the moonlight. I know we have tests coming up, but this is too important."

Hermione looked torn, but nodded in agreement. She and Harry had discussed this quite a bit. She was even more torn, but she had reluctantly made the same choice. Tonks nodded and then turned everyone's focus to their training. As usual, she didn't cut them any slack and everyone enjoyed the change from the heavy focus on books and studying. Not that anyone would admit it to Tonks.

That night saw the Potters once again back at the lake. The weather was improved, but the search was not. Harry was frustrated, but Hermione reminded him that he knew this was going to take a while. A snake like Nagini didn't need to eat often. They returned to school shortly after midnight and got to sleep quickly to prepare for classes in the morning.

Once again it was a surreal life for the Potters. They were busy in the last weeks of their fifth year of schoolwork, preparing for the all important OWL tests during the day. By night they were portkeying hundreds of kilometers away to hunt down Voldemort's snake familiar horcrux. With Quidditch season done, any distraction from OWLs was gone for most of the fifth years and the castle was near manic as Madam Pomfrey kept calming draughts on standby. Hermione would normally be one of the most manic, but she had the perspective of hunting down Voldemort. Also, she found that regular sex was better than any calming draught and her husband was always more than happy to oblige.

Monday night was their fourth at the lake and Harry thought soon he would be able to offer guided nature hikes of the area. Maybe once the Death Eaters weren't based nearby. That kind of ruined the tourism draw. As he let these thoughts filter through his head, Hermione chuckled and slapped his arm, bringing back his focus. They still had a ways before they were near the wards, but he really should strengthen his mental shields and focus on the task at hand.

As they came within the usual landmarks that told them they were within fifty meters of the wards, they turned and began their usual route to continue skirting south of the wards. Now Harry was on high alert and began his occasional calls in parseltongue. The half moon was now several days past and the moon was growing even brighter. The weather was clear and relatively warm. Still, they were careful to keep up their guard despite the apparently pleasant surroundings.

They were a half hour past their southerly turn when a strange sound to their left caused Harry to stop in mid hiss as both he and Hermione turned toward the sound. Their wands were raised toward the sound, as a voice called to them.

"Edgar, you hear that? Sounded like a snake. Like hissing. Is that damn snake hunting tonight? I thought it was a good night for us to be out looking for mushrooms?"

 _What do we do Harry? They're on the other side of the wards, maybe fifty meters. Should we lure them?_

 _I think we can. You stunned the one before through the wards._

 _You try this time, you're stronger._

Harry gave a quick mental acknowledgement and decided to use a field stunner that Tonks had taught them. It was something Aurors used in the field when they didn't know the exact position of an opponent. The problem was it used a lot of power and didn't stun for long. Harry took a deep breath and reached deep for his magic. Then he aimed toward where he had heard the voices and cast as hard as he could. Once he did that, he cast an accio. Suddenly two people, a pile of dirt and plants came flying at him and Hermione. They both jumped aside, but were still hit with some of the loose debris.

 _A bit too much power there I think love._

 _Um…sorry._

Hermione shook herself off and went to look at the two individuals. Harry was shaking himself when he heard something to his right.

 _Down …_

Harry hit the ground seconds before Nagini struck the air where he had been standing, rolling as he had drilled countless times. His wand was in his hand and he was firing toward the direction of the snake, but she had already moved and was turning back on him. Harry constricted and rolled as he jumped back up to his feet, feeling the still tight muscles in his back protest a bit. At least he was back on his feet. Nagini was a bit to his right and ready to strike again.

 _Mione?_

 _Fine…focus on Nagini._

Harry cast a reducto that missed by a couple of inches, but threw enough dirt that it blinded the snake for a moment. Switching his wand to his left hand, Harry stroked his signet and called on the power of Gryffindor, thinking of the sword. He grinned as he felt the reassuring weight of the Sword of Gryffindor materialize in his hand. With his wand in one hand and the sword in the other, he faced off with the massive snake once again. Hermione was now with him as well, standing slightly to his left. She cast a cutting curse that caused Nagini to hiss. It was nothing more than a nuisance, but it did distract her briefly. Meanwhile Harry also cast a cutting curse while trying to step closer with the sword. The two of them continued dancing closer to Nagini, who tried to strike at several points, only to meet the blade every time. When the blade cut through one of her long fangs, she let out a loud screech and Harry had to withhold an early scream of triumph. The three of them parried and Harry was feeling a bit of fatigue, but knew that Nagini was as well, as she bled from a dozen wounds. Finally, as she moved to strike at Hermione on his left, he was able cross over with the Sword of Gryffindor and cut down on her from the right side, take her head off in one move. As he did, a foul black mist went screaming away and green ichor oozed from the body. The smell was noxious as well and they both backed hastily away. Both Harry and Hermione were winded and bruised, but otherwise alright as they turned from the gruesome sight. The deed was done.

With Nagini taken care of, Harry turned back to the two Death Eaters, hoping they were still stunned. Thankfully, they were and he dropped two portkeys on them and sent them to the DMLE. Looking around at the carnage, he shook his head.

 _Should we clean this up? What if someone comes looking?_

 _I was wondering about that. You cast really powerful through the wards. I wouldn't be surprised if something was noticed. I hate to do this, but it may be time for a small forest fire. Not fiendfyre, just standard._

Harry nodded and they stepped back a few meters and separated a bit. A few fire spells carefully placed saw the hillside start to blaze. Nagini's remains burned bright and the torn up hillside was soon engulfed. Harry was happy to see that the fire went through the wards and began to burn the grasses on the other side. With their work done, he and Hermione portkeyed back to Hogwarts.


	27. Wrapping Fifth Year

Chapter 27 – Wrapping Fifth Year

The Potters arrived back in their apartment at Hogwarts and almost literally collapsed from exhaustion. The night had been a long patrol, ending in their final successful goal, but it had taken a lot out of them, especially Harry. Hermione couldn't believe how tired her husband felt now that the adrenaline had fled his body. She put an arm around his waist and led him to their bath, opting rightly for the tub rather than a shower as she stripped him down. As his shirt came off, he grimaced and she gasped at the new bruise that appeared along the line of his old injury.

 _Harry?_

 _I think I might have pulled something during one of my twists to get away from Nagini._

 _You think?_

 _I may have to beg my lovely wife to rub some salve into my back._

Hermione shook her head and finished her duties as she lowered him into the water before stripping down and joining him after adding some healing potions to the water. She had to admit it felt quite good to her as well. The battle might have been short, but it had had strained her as well. That was something Tonks had told them early on, the action was usually a few short minutes of terror that left you breathless and trying to remember it all afterwards. As she started to soak, Hermione remembered their friends and reached for her wand to cast a quick patronus toward the Gryffindor dorms to find Ron. The message was a simple reassurance: _Returned, all is well, talk tomorrow, pass the news._ With the message sent, she refocused on Harry.

They soaked for a good while and even dozed for a few minutes before Hermione helped Harry out and dried them both off. She was more exhausted than what she wanted to admit, but she knew that at that moment she was the stronger of the two of them. During the actual battle, Harry had done what was needed and now it was her turn as she arranged him on the bed on his stomach and began to massage the salve into his back. They were running low and she would need to get more from Madam Pomfrey. That would require an explanation that wouldn't be easy. Oh well, something to be dealt with after a bit of sleep. Once Harry's back was done, she crawled in next to him and they were soon both asleep.

The following morning came all too soon considering it was past midnight when they had finally fallen asleep. Hermione decided to indulge and called Dobby to bring them breakfast. With the late night bath, showers were skipped, meaning they were able to stay in bed until mere minutes before class. Harry was still quite stiff, but with another massage, he insisted he could manage since he wouldn't have Defense class that day. Their friends were all waiting for them outside the apartment before first classes and Hermione decided there was time for a quick, five minute meeting as everyone ducked in.

"Alright everyone, we don't have much time. No questions right now. Harry will give you the synopsis and then we have to run."

"Um, alright. We did the regular patrol as usual and there were a couple of Death Eaters apparently out looking for mushrooms. My snake calling gave them a scare and we decided to do what we did with the other Death Eater and I summoned them, except I messed up and put a bit much force in it to override the outer wards. I also didn't realize that my parseltongue had been heard by Nagini and she was close. So, anyway, I summoned the two Death Eaters, pulling half a hillside of dirt and grass with them. That knocked them out in the process, and then I had the snake coming up behind me that I had to fight. My drills on snake movement saved me and I managed to get out of the way. I wrenched my back, but it worked. I summoned the sword and with Hermione's help to keep Nagini distracted, I took her head off. A black mist came out with a screech and then some green blood as well. It was nasty. Then we dropped the DMLE portkeys on the Death Eaters. Since I tore up the hillside and we also had a mess of a giant snake left around, we decided to start a bit of a forest fire, just standard fire, to cover our tracks and then portkeyed back."

Everyone looked at Harry a bit stunned and then Blaise shook his head and let out a low whistle.

"Well, congrats mate, you don't do it by halves. I imagine that lodge of his is the last place to be right now. Anyway, I'm glad you're back and safe. Time for class then?"

Everyone agreed and filed out of the Potter apartment for yet another surreal experience. After discussing the destruction of another piece of the Dark Lord's soul, they were all back to being schoolchildren once again.

The rest of the day was long for Harry especially, but it at least finished by early afternoon. He had a scheduled Quidditch practice, but Ron ran interference with Katie and told her that he wouldn't be able to fly. She wanted more explanation, but Ron stood his ground in an unusual show of force that was baffling enough that she backed off.

That evening as all of the allies were finishing dinner they noticed the arrival of Tonks, who stood near the door and talked with McGonagall while she waited for them to be done. Seeing her make an unplanned visit caused everyone to finish eating quickly. As soon as they all gathered just outside the hall, she gestured upstairs and they all made their way in near silence toward the Potter apartment. As soon as the entire group was inside and Hermione had the privacy spells cast, Tonks let loose.

"Alright, Lord Potter, care to tell me what the hell happened last night? I seem to remember giving you a hunting license, not a burn permit. We've got a charred hillside, a bunch of angry muggles, loose Death Eaters, and a Dark Lord who is now Merlin knows where thanks to his base, which we spent months locating, being a pile of ash."

Harry and Hermione looked at Tonks in stunned silence. The fire wasn't supposed to have gotten that out of control. Harry blew out a long breath and held Hermione close as she leaned into him.

"Wow Tonks, it sounds like it got much further out of control than we planned. Look, the fire was supposed to stay small. It was just to cover some destruction when I pulled the two Death Eaters through the wards. Did you get them by the way? Unfortunately, I summoned half a hillside with them. I was afraid that would be noticed. Nagini did notice it and attacked me. I killed her, but that left another mess, so we decided on fire to clean it up. The area was mostly rock and scrub, so we had planned on just letting it burn itself out."

"Well that's one damn good bit of news at least. Scrub or not, it still burns and there was enough that it spread to a grassy area and then it spread to some trees and so forth. May have taken a while, but it made its way to the lodge. And apparently Voldie's crew was busy running around trying to take care of the surrounding countryside and let the building burn. A few of them just ran. While they were at it they decided to pillage the nearby village. We caught a couple of them there, which is how we know this. It didn't take long for Snakeface to give up on the sorry lot of them, gather his inner circle, and move elsewhere. The problem is that we don't know where that is. So, it's good that he's no longer immortal. Now we just have to find him. Again. We also have a village and a number of farms that are needing obliviating and magic reversal. Needless to say, Amelia is not happy. The one point that might help your case is the two 'arrests' you made. They're Edgar Selwyn and Ursula Avery, junior members of dark aligned families and both on the watch list for minor crimes. We've got enough to put them in Azkaban for a few years and we think they may be willing to talk. They're not marked yet, but they were close to being so and may have some useful information. Also, when we did the intake, we found out Ursula was pregnant. She didn't even know herself. Needless to say, she is even more upset. We're giving them a chance to think things over and then we'll interview them again."

Hermione shook her head. It was hard not to feel sorry for the young woman, who was only a bit older than herself and was now in such a desperate position after having made so many wrong choices. Her thoughts were interrupted by Harry's churning thoughts of guilt over the fire and she had to agree, after all the fire had been her idea.

"Tonks, please apologize to Amelia for us about the fire. We thought it was under control when we left. It was barely burning. We really thought it was the best solution to control the evidence. I know she's upset, but we still would like to be kept updated on any news about Voldemort's whereabouts. We'll keep training as well so that we're ready when the time comes."

"Aye, I'll relay the message, but now is really not the best time."

Harry sighed and nodded. Then the group all left the apartment and went upstairs to the Room of Requirement for another round of grueling training.

The following couple of weeks saw no significant gains in the battle against Voldemort. Unfortunately, questioning Selwyn and Avery yielded the capture of a couple of stockpiles of supplies, but they were too junior of Death Eaters to be privy to major operational information. The DMLE went back through its lists of known properties and ran a number of surveillance operations, but there was no sign of Voldemort. There were fleeting sightings of various high ranking Death Eaters, but they always vanished before a large enough force of Aurors could converge on them.

While they weren't sighted in magical England, the Death Eaters were unfortunately sighted within non-magical England a number of times. Their terror strikes followed their usual manner in which they appeared quickly as if from nowhere, wreaked havoc and death, and then disappeared just as Aurors were responding. In the two weeks after the fire in Wales, there were a total of six attacks attributed to Death Eaters. The attacks killed thirty-two and injured well over a hundred. Both Harry and Hermione felt immense guilt when each news article detailed a new attack. Their friends tried to reassure them that the attacks weren't necessarily retaliation. After all, there had been fourteen near identical attacks before the fire, but it still weighed heavily on the Potters.

With no additional leads from the DMLE about Voldemort's new base, Harry and Hermione were left with nothing else to do except continue to countdown and study for their OWLs. The entire castle was in a state of nervous tension that finally snapped when Blaise and Susan had a massive row in the corridor outside of the Potter apartment during the first week of June. For the most part, all of the Potters' friends who were paired off had only had small arguments, but it was apparent to all who witnessed the final blowout that something had been brewing for quite a while. Susan was beside herself and Hermione had something more important than studying for once to occupy her attention. Luna was closer to Susan though and took the lead as she led the redhead into the Potter apartment. Meanwhile, Harry took off after Blaise while the rest of the guys decided to make their way to the library.

Harry only ran for a few corridors when he realized that Blaise had too much of a head start on him, so he double backed to the apartment. He felt certain that the ladies were at the apartment, but he needed the Marauder's Map. As soon as he stepped in, he saw all the witches huddled around Susan. Hermione had sensed him coming and he quickly informed her of his need.

 _Sorry love, Blaise is long gone. I need the Map._

 _Of course. One second._

Hermione went to their study cubicle and the bookcase where the Map was secured in a hidden nook. She returned and handed it to Harry. After a quick kiss, he activated the map and then barely contained a curse as it became apparent from Blaise's position and speed of movement that he was flying. Glad that he hadn't left the apartment yet, Harry tiptoed around to the closet where his broom was stored.

 _Sorry Hermione, I'll be out of your hair soon. Blaise is heading for the village. He's on his broom._

 _Alright. Let's not tell Susie. Please be careful and keep me updated. If you two aren't back soon, I'll have to let McGonagall know._

 _Understood. I'm going to open the wards and get a head start. I'll apparate to the gates and then fly from there. That should put me just about on his tail._

Hermione chuckled mentally, but approved of his plan as Harry immediately did just as he had told her. When he arrived at the gates with broom in hand he could see Blaise just beyond. He swung onto the broom, reared up and over the gates, and then sped up to catch his friend. Barely a minute later he caught up and was alongside him with ease. Blaise looked over with a mixture of fear, anger, and exasperation. Twenty seconds later they reached the village and Harry signaled to land. Nodding, Blaise obliged and soon they were standing outside the Three Broomsticks.

"Alright Blaise, what's going on? You know right now is not a safe time to take off."

"I don't care. I can't do this anymore."

"Do what? School? Be Susie's boyfriend?"

Blaise blew out a long breath and then threw his broom like a javelin. Harry cast a quick accio before it went through a nearby window while Blaise exploded verbally.

"ALL OF IT! WHO AM I? WHAT AM I? WHY DO I CONTINUE? WHAT DOES SHE WANT FROM ME? WHY DO I BOTHER? ARRRRGGGGHHH!"

Blaise looked like he was about to find something else to throw again so Harry wrapped an arm around his shoulder and decided that he needed to talk. He guided his friend into the pub. Normally they didn't drink more than butterbeer or maybe ale, but with exams coming they were both wound tight. Thankfully, the pub was sparsely populated in the mid-afternoon. Madam Rosmerta came over to see them right away.

"Lord Potter, welcome. This is unscheduled."

"Hello Madam. We're having a bit of a crisis and are in need of a gentleman's counseling session. I need a bottle of your best firewhiskey. Not Ogden's . I also need a basket of bottomless chips and some privacy wards."

"The best you say? That's 120 galleons a bottle. I haven't sold one in months. I'll add the chips as a bonus."

Harry pulled out a Gringotts draft slip, applied a drop of blood and handed it over. Two minutes later, the bottle and glasses appeared. Another five minutes saw the first round of perfectly cooked chips. When Harry took the first sip of his drink, he made a vow to never drink the cheap stuff again. Once he and Blaise had each had a couple, his friend had loosened up and began to talk. As Blaise started, he focused for a minute and poured his magic into focusing on Hermione to let her know where he was.

 _Hermione, I caught up to Blaise. We're at the Broomsticks. We'll be here a bit. He needs to talk._

 _That far? The connection is quite good. I understand he needs to talk. Try not to get too wasted. Remember we still have more studying tonight._

Harry gave a mental nod and then focused back on the friend in front of him.

"What's to say Harry? I've lost who I am? Even more than just when I lost my name. I love Susie, really, but I need more. When Madam Bones took me in I was grateful and it was easy, so I didn't think much further. I didn't have many clothes with me and Susan went shopping with me. She likes blue on me, fine. She prefers one aftershave over another, alright because I don't much care one way or another. Somewhere I lost me. For a while it was fine, but I started drowning along the way. I guess I swallowed too much water and had enough. Now with exams it just all broke. I know I need to study, but I need a break too. I wanted to go for a fly, just to relax a bit. I miss flying since I'm not on a team anymore. Except that when the group was going to your apartment to study and I was ready to go fly and meet up after, Susie tore into me about it. I finally lost it. Guess I said some pretty nasty stuff about how her doll didn't want to be groomed anymore. Gods I fucked up. I mean, I want her to give me some space, but I do love her."

"I guess I understand. Hermione and I had some of that, if not as bad. We went through it some when we were just friends. I said some stupid stuff to her when we were friends. She was quite forgiving. I had to admit I was wrong, which is never easy. It sounds like you need to tell Susan what you told me. You probably need some time away from each other. As much as I hated my relatives, I think in a way it was good to have some time away during the summers. When I saw Hermione after being away, it made me realize how much I missed her."

"But how, I have no home?"

"Really Blaise? Susan is your only friend?"

"Hmm, true. I could probably find someplace else to spend some time."

"I can guarantee it. Hermione and my summer is a bit unsure yet, but there is the Burrow. Or Longbottom Manor. Or if you want an unusual experience, you can talk to Luna about apprenticing at the Quibbler."

Blaise snorted and then outright laughed.

"That would definitely be interesting."

"Hey, if you're lucky, maybe Mr. Lovegood will take you along on an expedition to search for the trumpet horned snorkack."

That brought more laughter and another round of drinks, as well as a refill on the chips. The two friends talked more about potential plans for Blaise for the summer and before they realized it, they had passed over two hours and two thirds of the bottle was gone. When they decided to leave, they were a bit wobbly and Madam Rosmerta came over to check on them.

"All okay there lads? I hope you plan to carry those brooms and not ride them?"

"Aye madam. For some reason the ground keeps moving. I don't think I can sight real well right now."

"Hmm, yes, wouldn't know why. Just keep your feet on the ground."

Harry gave a jaunty salute that caused Blaise to laugh while Madam Rosmerta shook her head and the two young men took a long walk back to the castle. By the time they arrived at the Potter apartment, Hermione was waiting in the open doorway, shaking her head. Harry handed her the partial bottle he had brought back with him.

"Careful with that…120 galleons…good stuff."

"I'm sure. Come on, Dobby brought dinner up here. I thought it was preferable to the Great Hall."

The three of them ate a hearty meal that Harry and Blaise barely made it through. Hermione was amazingly tolerant. Realizing she wasn't going to get any studying out of her husband, she took him to their bedroom and stripped him to his trunks before tucking him in bed. When she returned to the dining area, Blaise was asleep with his head on the table. Sighing, she called Dobby for assistance with her burly friend. The elf levitated him to the couch and soon had him tucked in for the night.

Harry woke the next morning and groaned as he tried to pull the pillow over his head, only to hear a chuckle both in his head and through his ears.

 _Come on love, you got out of studying yesterday afternoon, but we have class in an hour. I have something to help._

Harry pried an eye open and saw a smoky phial of potion being handed to him by his amazingly compassionate, gorgeous, fantastically wonderful wife. He snatched it greedily and downed the hideous tasting concoction like a dying man in a desert. Groaning, he began to feel better immediately.

 _I already showered, you go ahead and clean up. I'm going to deliver the next potion to Blaise._

 _Blaise is here?_

 _He didn't make it past our couch. Dobby left him there._

Hermione made her potion delivery and soon Blaise was also praising Hermione, who then called for Dobby and their friend delivered back to his room. With their guest gone, Hermione returned to the bathroom to work on her hair and talk to her husband as he stepped from the shower.

"So, now that you're sober, care to tell me what set Blaise off?"

Harry sighed as he toweled his hair and explained a bit. He wasn't betraying confidences, since Blaise knew that there was no keeping secrets between Harry and Hermione. As Harry dressed, Hermione sighed as the pieces coalesced with what she had gathered from Susan.

"That makes sense from what Susan said. She actually isn't entirely clueless about what she's been doing, but she's found it hard to pull back. Blaise is so under motivated she finds it hard. I think the idea of a bit of separation might be good. I do agree that they need to talk. Anyway, except for passing, they won't have a chance until around eleven this morning."

The Potters finished getting ready, gathered their book bags, and quickly made their way down to breakfast. Most of their group of friends sat together, although Blaise didn't appear at all.

After the first two classes of the day, everyone was back at the Potter apartment, including both Susan and Blaise, who hadn't talked since the previous day. Hermione offered them the privacy of the bedroom so they could talk, but Blaise asked if Harry and Hermione could join them. The rest of the friends stayed out in the living room while the foursome talked through the points that had caused the explosion the previous day. In the end, Blaise and Susan reconciled, but their ardor was cooled and they both agreed to step back a bit. Blaise also planned on looking for alternative lodging over the summer, which upset Susan greatly, but she agreed to with Hermione's support. When the four friends rejoined their larger group, it was with a much quieter and subdued mood.

After the drama with Blaise and Susan, life at Hogwarts pressed on toward OWLs. Everyone continued to watch the newspapers each day, as attacks continued. Tonks visited once a week, but OWLs were close enough that the students were too busy for anything more frequent. Unfortunately, Voldemort had gone to ground quite well and there were no good leads on his new base. Harry was frustrated, but Hermione kept him focused on his schoolwork.

Finally, the third week of June saw the arrival of OWLs. It took four days to finish theoretical and practical exams. By the end of it, Harry was surprised that he wasn't bleeding from his eyes and ears and was beyond even caring what the results were. He was just glad that it was over with. When his wife caught that stray thought, she was aghast with him. Finally, on Friday the 23rd of June, Hogwarts ended and Harry and Hermione completed their fifth year at Hogwarts as they boarded the Express and headed home.


	28. Druimoor

**Hi everyone. I am working on getting updates for this story at a more regular pace. This one is a filler, but its a long filler. I needed to have Harry start to take control of some of his ancestral properties and it just went on from there, but I think its really important, so here you are. We need to give him some time during the summer before he takes on Voldemort. Never fear, that will happen soon. Next chapter or two I think. Also, a side note. Its a quite few chapters back, but I have to give a shout out to 'Marc the Unruly' who noticed back in chapter 10 my usage of the term _fair witness_ and rightly noted that I borrowed it from Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. No one else in the long time since that chapter has said anything, so a big applause for Marc. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I am off to keep writing toward the next while I fend off a particular single shot plot bunny.**

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Chapter 28 –Druimoor

The Express arrived at King's Cross to the welcome of a number of Aurors, which was actually a relief to Harry. Other than the DMLE presence, the station was its usual chaos. Still, there was an undertone that those who were familiar with the summer holidays would know was not the usual. Harry gathered his and Hermione's shrunken trunks into a simple bag, while she kept a tight hold on Crookshanks' carrier. He had once again allowed Hedwig to fly on ahead, much to his familiar's pleasure. They said goodbye to their friends and promised to be in touch in a week or so when plans for the summer firmed up some. Then they carefully made their way through the crowds, keeping a hand inside their pockets and ready to grab their wands. Rather than make their way through the magical barrier, they went to the edge of the magical platform and found a loo. Now that they could apparate, they had informed the Grangers not to bother with London traffic. As soon as they were in an alcove out of immediate sight, they each apparated to the Grangers' backyard.

Hermione and Harry landed moments later in the welcome confines of the fenced, manicured backyard that they knew so well. Jean and Neil were sitting in nearby chairs and stood immediately to come greet them. As soon as hugs were exchanged, the disgusted feline who was making his displeasure known was released from his confines and Crookshanks bolted across the yard. For the first time Harry let out a breath and felt like he could relax as Neil stepped over toward the grill.

"So Hermione, come and get a drink and tell us about the troubles you alluded to in your last letter. You mentioned that your hunt went well, but there were complications?"

Hermione sighed and traded a couple of mental comments with Harry, but he was fine to let her lead. By the time dinner was ready, the Grangers were apprised of the last few weeks of happenings. Everything from horcrux hunting and forest fires to school exams was covered.

"Well you two have certainly had an eventful school year. So, obviously Voldemort is your focus when he is found. As much as I hate to say that. Until then, what is the plan? Do you plan to keep training?"

"Some. Honestly, I would like a bit of a break. Also, we need to start looking at the Potter properties. You and Neil have been great Jean and I know we're family, but I need to look at what my family left me. I especially want to see about Druimoor. It's my ancestral home, but it hasn't had any house elves or other magic in it for years. I know Gringotts has had it maintained, so it must be at least in decent shape, but I probably need to go talk to them. My account manager can tell me how to get there as well. I checked a map and it's about three and a half hours from here. So, we need to visit Gringotts in a couple of days."

"So, you'll stay here to start the summer and then maybe go to Druimoor if it's in habitable condition?"

"Perhaps, but if we do, we'd want you to come. At least on the weekends when you don't have the practice to run. And all this depends on Voldemort. I'm sorry Jean, I wish we had more definite plans."

"That's fine, I understand. What I don't understand is this Jean bit. What happened to mum?"

Harry blushed and looked at his feet.

"Sorry, I sort of forgot. Its new to me mum, but it does feel good. Dad, do you mind…mind that?"

"Of course not Harry. Just because we haven't seen you for months doesn't change anything. You are married to my daughter. As for the summer, we'll see how it goes."

The rest of the evening went well and, after watching a brief, stupid game show on the telly, Hermione declared she was tired and everyone retired early.

The following day was spent quietly at home for the Potters, a rare treat that was welcome after the recent madness with exams. Harry still itched to be doing more, but he knew that the relaxation was good for his mental wellbeing and had to admit that the following day's meditation went smoother as he was able to more easily slip into his calm center of focus.

After their one day break, the Potters resumed their training on their second morning home. That afternoon though was planned for their trip to Gringotts to talk to Silverstaff, who had responded to Harry's owl and set an appointment for two in the afternoon. Both of them were happy to have trained in apparition, being able to move themselves around quickly and efficiently as they apparated to Diagon. Still, they traveled with disillusion charms and wands out, wary due to the current security concerns.

As the Potters quickly walked through the Alley to the bank, two people made passing glances at them, and Hermione knew that those people had devices to look past their charms. Harry's cloak would have been better coverage, but was more cumbersome. The charms did well enough, especially since Diagon was not nearly as crowded as it once had been. Both the people who spotted them didn't move closer, so they were able to pass by quickly, although they remained on guard. When they stepped in the bank and had goblin guards at their backs, both felt relieved.

Minutes after stepping inside the bank, the Potters were shown to Silverstaff's office.

"Good afternoon Lord and Lady Potter. Please have a seat. How may I and Gringotts help you today?"

"Hello honorable Silverstaff. May your vaults overflow. We are here to inquire after the Potter properties, specifically Druimoor. We would like to visit, and possibly stay there, but are unsure of the condition, or how to reach it."

"I see. Well, let's discuss the other properties first. As you know, the cottage in Godric's Hollow has remained in stasis and unrepaired per the request of the Town Council as a memorial to your parents. Of course, the final decision is yours. If you wish, you could override that decision and have the cottage repaired. It has three bedrooms and one bathroom. The damage was extensive and would take at least a month to repair. Your property in France is land only. Finally, the Dedianos estate in Greece is on the island of Leros. It is listed to be on the western side of the island, a short distance outside of the city of Xirocampos. You own fifteen hectares on a bluff overlooking the Mediterranean with a walk that winds down to a small crescent of beach. Here is a floorplan of the house. It is in the style of a Roman villa with a central courtyard and includes plenty of space inside and out, as well as a swimming area in the large courtyard in the style of a Roman bath. The land has been in your family for several hundred years, but your great-grandfather Henry built the villa. He quite admired Roman architecture."

Harry looked over the floorplan and was impressed. The house had seven good size bedrooms, all with attached baths on a second floor. The first floor were all common spaces. All were arranged in a square around the massive courtyard that showed a series of flower beds, hot and cold pools, fountains, and outside dining areas.

"Wow, this is impressive, but how has it been maintained? How would I get there?"

"Gringotts is contracted to maintain it. In the past, House Potter had between eight and fourteen house elves that traveled between the family properties. Now we keep the interior of the house under stasis and the outside of the house has charms to slow the aging process. Then we hire maintenance with locals on the island. There is a portkey necklace available in your vault. I can have it brought here if you wish. I didn't before because you indicated you weren't ready yet."

"No, I wasn't. Hermione, what do you think? Greece sounds nice."

"Yes, but I think we need to focus closer to home for now. Silverstaff, what can you tell us about Druimoor?"

"Yes, Druimoor is your ancestral seat for the past 832 years. Of course, the current manor has only stood for 411 years. As you can probably surmise, Druimoor is a contraction of Druid Moor, as the site of the manor is closely situated to a conjunction of ley lines that was spiritually significant to the ancients of this isle. The total size of the land is 172 hectares, encompassing forest and farmland. The manor itself is 1580 square meters total, with fourteen bedrooms and four floors from basement to attic. The land also includes a number of utility buildings, as well as barns, workshops, and a garage. All are under stasis charms and Gringotts checks on the property on a monthly basis. The farmlands are mowed, but have been left fallow. The orchard is kept clear of grass, but the harvest is left to the animals and birds. The house remains fully furnished as it was the day your grandmother died, two months after her husband passed. Your father was in school and only returned briefly after. The elves who were left were quite old and passed on through the years."

Harry used his meditation techniques to calm himself. It was a lot to take in. The house was massive. And the idea that it had been sitting in stasis for so long. Hermione didn't say much, but her presence helped to calm and soothe him. Silverstaff seemed to understand that he needed a moment and had paused before continuing.

"As for how to visit the manor, I should have told you before, but you were adamant about waiting. Simply press your wand to your signet and say 'Druimoor'. Anyone who is touching you will portkey with you. When you are ready to leave, just say 'return' and you will return to the spot you left from. Here are floorplans and a map of the property. If you wish to visit, I can go with you to show you around if you wish?"

"Thank you Silverstaff, but we're not sure of our plans yet. We should be able to get around with the map."

"Of course. Might I recommend that you take brooms when you go. It is the best way to view the property overall. There are some older ones in storage at the manor, but they might be a bit slow. Do you plan on moving in soon?"

"Um, well, we still have to decide. We have to finish school yet."

"Well, if you do decide to in the future, you will need house elves. Gringotts can arrange for the purchase of them if you wish. I would say six at minimum for the size of the manor."

Harry grimaced, knowing that Hermione wasn't happy with the idea of hiring house elves. Still, a manor with fourteen bedrooms would need help.

 _We won't make the decision hastily love. Maybe we should talk to Dobby. Remember what he said about needing the castle's magic? Well, if Druimoor is at the center of ley lines, maybe it will be good for him and others also. And we would treat them well and pay them too. They don't have to be slaves._

 _Perhaps. We'll discuss it. We need to see the place first._

The mental dialogue was cut short as Silverstaff continued.

"Now, that is about it for the properties. Everything else is going well with the Potter holdings. Do you have any questions on the statements you've been receiving?"

Harry briefly checked with Hermione, but then they both assured Silverstaff that they had no further questions at the time. They both thanked him then he summoned an assistant to take them down to the vault. Once there, Hermione located the Dedianos amulet portkey exactly where Silverstaff had told them it was. It was actually a beautiful amulet on a gold chain and she happily put it on before joining her husband for the ride back to the main floor of the bank.

Once they were back in Diagon, the Potters stopped for ice cream and then apparated back home, arriving around half past three in the afternoon. It had been a monumental day and both of them still had thoughts churning over the wealth of information they had gathered.

That night Harry cooked chicken curry to surprise the Grangers when they got home from the practice, which they were quite appreciative of. The main topic of discussion at dinner was the Potter properties and they were equally stunned at the size of the manor when Hermione gave her parents the general statistics. Once they had finished eating, Neil took the cleanup duties and then they all gathered around to look over the manor floor plans, as well as the overall details for manor grounds. After reviewing everything thoroughly, both couples decided to wait a couple of days until the weekend and then go together to look in person. While Harry was curious, he had waited a year, he could wait a bit longer.

The next couple of days were spent with the Potters keeping busy working on their summer homework assignments, as well as keeping up with the drills that Tonks had given them. They also traded owls with their friends and everyone seemed to be settling into a boring summer routine.

Unfortunately, the Death Eaters were anything but bored and the Prophet brought bad news usually every other day. While muggle targets remained a favorite, the Potters received a scare three days after arriving home when the Prophet brought the news of an attack on the home of Varinius and Lucinda Brown. Varinius was a neutral voice in the Wizengamot who had voted in favor of a recent increase in Auror funding and the attack seemed to be payback for that vote. Thankfully, Lucinda was away during the attack, but Varinius was listed as gravely injured. His age was given as seventy-one, so the Potters were unsure what his relation was to Lavender, but pureblood England was too closely related for their not to be a relation and they worried for their fellow Gryffindor. Hermione quickly sent Hedwig off with a note to express their concern and offer any help possible. The following day, Lavender replied with her thanks. Her grandfather was doing better, but would be in the hospital for a couple of weeks. He had been quite cheered though to see Lord and Lady Potter send their well wishes.

For Harry especially the attack on the Browns only chafed him more as he practiced harder and wished to do more. The day after the attack, he sent Hedwig to Tonks to schedule a training session. He had been talking to Sirius on the mirror and he had offered Grimmauld's basement whenever they wanted. Tonks replied the same day and scheduled a training session for Saturday late afternoon at four. Hermione quickly drafted letters for all their friends and sealed them with the House Potter signet before sending Hedwig off on a loop to visit each of their friends and allies. If Harry worried that they were working her too much, he needn't have as Hedwig was happy with her regular flights.

Soon enough Saturday arrived and everyone in the Granger house was awake by eight. After a quick breakfast, they all gathered in the living room and Hermione explained briefly what to expect from the portkey. Then she took hold of Harry's hand while Jean and Neil each placed a hand on his shoulders. Harry then took his wand and tapped it to his signet while saying 'Druimoor'.

The group landed with a bit of a stumble, but everyone managed to stay upright as they stood and then looked around what was obviously a large receiving hall. The ceiling was at least six meters above them and the floor was inlaid with the Potter crest. The walls were primarily lined in a fine grain white granite with carved columns of a blue stone done in fine detail. On one wall was a large fireplace, also carved from the same bluish stone. On the other wall was a massive tapestry with an intricate tracery detail. When Harry stepped closer, he saw that it was his family tree. Looking toward the end, he smiled to see both his and Hermione's names. The room wasn't overly large so Hermione pulled out her map and they decided where to go to first.

"Well this is the magical arrivals hall, the central foyer should be just through this door to our left. The main staircase is there and we can access the rest of the house from that point."

Harry nodded and let his wife take the lead as both he and Hermione held their wands and made their way through the double walnut doors into the main part of the house. Although they felt they were most likely safe, it didn't hurt to remain prepared.

When they reached the central receiving hall, both couples were awestruck at the sweeping three story expanse of space with the curling staircase that greeted a reception hall that was twice the size as the entire first floor of the Grangers' house. The front doors of the manor were solid oak and they stepped outside for a minute to look on the beautiful expansive lawn before ducking back inside.

Once they were back in the main hall, Hermione took in the amazing carved stone details that were everywhere, especially in the inlaid detail in the floor. Then there was the carved details in the stairs, which displayed a plethora of flora and fauna. Still, there was much to see and Harry had left her in charge of the map. Shaking herself out of her daze, Hermione went to a massive side table and spread the map for everyone to see so that they could orient themselves and discuss where to go next.

"Alright, this space is stunning, but we have a lot to see. The first floor are the common spaces. I suggest we work east to west. Here on the east side we have the ladies' parlor and office, then the library on the back corner of the house and extending up to the second floor. If we then wrap around the center of the floor, we can cover the central ball room and formal dining room. The back appears to be an entire glass conservatory with a family dining area. We can then circle to the kitchens on the western side corner and then come around the western side where the largest formal living room and game room, as well as the lord's formal office. That will then loop us back here. I guess then we go to the second floor. Mostly a lot of guest suites on the west and children's and nanny rooms on the east. Should be fairly repetitive. There are some classrooms near the eastern corner where the library extends up to that level. The third floor is listed as storage and overflow guest space, with half the floor designated for elf quarters. I want to see that and see where the Potters kept their elves. I know that Gringotts said the Potters were known for treating them well, but I am curious. The basement is primarily storage on one side, with the other side listed as pools, gym, and a training arena."

Neil shook his head and whistled.

"Well, I guess it's good we wore our trainers. We've got some walking to do."

The rest agreed and Harry let Hermione lead on the path she had chosen. The house was a bit eerie, but he felt a low level of magic that told him enough wards were still in place that he wasn't worried and he was able to relax for a bit. It took about forty minutes before they reached the other side of the first floor and entered the lord's office. Harry felt a pull toward the crest on the back wall and stepped over to it. He noticed a spot in the carved wood where his signet would fit and wondered if he should.

 _Go ahead love. The magic must be compelling you for a reason._

"Mum, dad, Harry is being pulled by the house magic toward the crest. Let's step back a bit."

Harry pressed his signet into the crest and watched as it swung open to reveal what looked like a small safe behind. Then a number of panels on the walls around the room swung open to reveal portraits. Harry looked into the safe and pulled out several books, as well as an ancient looking quill. Then he turned to sit at the desk with the items. As he did, one of the portraits of a man in ancient looking colonial dress smiled down at him.

"Excellent, another Lord Potter takes his seat. Welcome, I am Lord Ralston Potter."

"Indeed, welcome. I am Fleamont. What year is it and who might you be?"

"I believe I might know. Harry is that you?"

Harry looked around in shock and then looked at the last portrait that had spoken. It was his father.

"D…Dad?"

"Ha! It is you! Everyone, meet Lord Harry James Potter. How old are you now son?"

"Fifteen."

"Fifteen? And already a lord? James, when did you pass?"

"Um, everyone, it's great to meet you all, but that's a long story. The blame lies with a dark lord who named himself Voldemort. I'm afraid I don't have a lot of time today. I do need to introduce someone very important. A year ago I soul bonded with my best friend. This is Lady Hermione Jean Potter."

Harry pulled Hermione over to be introduced to the six portraits of past Potters in the room. There had been other portraits around the house as they toured, but all had been sleeping. He wondered if all would be awake now.

"A soul bond you say? Well, that certainly answers some of the questions. Welcome my lady!"

"Congratulations son. I wish your mother and I could have met your lady. Now then, who else have you brought with you?"

"These are Hermione's parents, Drs. Neil and Jean Granger. They are non-magical. Although Hermione is muggleborn, she is the smartest witch in our year, and Professor McGonagall says the smartest in the last fifty years."

James chuckled.

"Of course, a brilliant muggleborn. You are a true Potter. Now son, I know you have a lot to do. What are your plans for today?"

"We're just here to look around the manor. It's been looked after by Gringotts for years. All the elves are gone and it's been in stasis. Honestly, we've been staying with the Grangers and we're still in school, so we probably don't need a large home for now. This is the first time I've been here though and I wanted to see the place."

Fleamont huffed and shook his head.

"Stasis? And no elves? It's amazing the place is still standing. Especially with a dark lord on the loose. Look Harry, do you understand why manors have elves?"

"I think so, to cook, clean, and take care of the place."

"Well yes, partially. It really is a testament to the goblins that they have kept the place going without elves, because there is much more to a magical home. Druimoor has ancient wards that help to power the modern wards. Go ahead and sit back down and open the top right drawer of the desk. Once open, reach in and press the button on the underside."

Harry did as told and was amazed when the top of the desk folded back and what appeared to be a map of his entire property lit up on the desk. All the portraits appeared to stretch to look at the map. Several clucked and his father was looking dismayed. He noticed several areas in orange and the manor itself was yellow. He guessed it wasn't good.

"As I thought, the wards are dangerously low. You can start to help them, but the wards need constant magical power to drive them. Witches and wizards provide some, but elves have a unique magic that feeds wards in ways that we cannot. In conjunction, elves also need the unique magic that wizards and witches have. Think of it as two types of magic that need to live symbiotically. One cannot survive without the other. The elves live with us and we give them some of ours and they give us some of theirs. Our wards get powered and they get powered personally for their very lives."

Harry rubbed his face and looked at his wife. This challenged all her ideas on elf equality. He could see a range of emotions flitting across her face and knew she wanted to speak. She was having a hard time keeping silent and he gestured for her to speak up.

"But the elves are treated horribly. They're slaves! That's not right!"

"I see that you have the viewpoint of your upbringing Lady Potter. True enough, some elves are badly treated and that is a crime. It is no different than someone who mistreats their horse or gods forbid a child. Those people need to be dealt with. If elves are treated as they should, they are valued family members. Yes, they work hard, but no more than they desire and they are given all that they need. An elf from a strong magical family can live for well on two hundred years."

That bit of information shocked everyone into silence and Fleamont continued.

"So Lord Potter, even if you do not return to the manor full time, please see to the situation and stay here for some time this summer. And please hire some elves. The land needs the magic rebuilt, especially if a dark lord is coming. Now then, James please instruct your son on the ward book."

"Yes indeed. Son, please listen to your grandfather about the elves, it is critical. Now, the book you hold is the ward book. Use the quill to add or remove names of those allowed access to the manor. You may allow visitors to the grounds without adding them to the book, but the manor is sacred. Remember that if you are planning events. Sometimes it easier to plan them out on the grounds. Go ahead and check the book and remove anyone you do not want and add anyone you need to. You may want to add the Grangers. They can be here now since they are in your presence. If they left the room you were in, they were feel an overwhelming desire to leave."

Harry nodded and opened the thick book. There were some names he didn't know that he crossed off. Then he spotted one that sent a chill of rage through him and he slashed through Peter Pettigrew's name. Once he was done removing names, he added the Grangers, as well as his allies. With the ward book done, he turned and placed it back behind the crest in the wall. Then he turned back to the portraits.

"Thank you all. I know that we need to talk more later dad, but we still have a lot more to look around. Hermione and I need to talk about the issue with elves too."

"Actually Harry, while you were working on the ward book I was thinking on it. I guess I need to readjust my thinking. Maybe we should start with an elf we know. If he's interested."

"Dobby."

Before he could say anything else, Dobby appeared in front of them, looking quite surprised. Then he looked quite worried as he took in his surroundings.

"Master Lord Harry Potter sir has called for Dobby, but this is the manor! Ooh, but wards here are very weak. No wonders that Dobby was able to come. This be bad, very bad. Where be Lord Harry Potter sirs elveses?"

Harry shook his head at Dobby's grammar as he prepared an answer.

"Actually Dobby, the answer is part of the reason we were discussing calling you. I hadn't meant to summon you yet. I'm surprised you came all the way from Hogwarts. Do you work there during the summer too?"

"Some. There not be much to be doing now, but Dobby be needing magic since Dobby not be bonded. It be the best Dobby can do."

 _What do you think love, I know your stance on elf rights._

 _Yes, although it seems I have to adjust that in light of what your grandfather had taught us today. If Dobby wants to bond to House Potter, then go ahead. I suppose you may need more elves in the future with the way the wards look. I really want to see the elf quarters._

"Dobby, we've been discussing this and we understand better why the manor needs elves. Would you be interested in bonding to House Potter and coming to work here? We probably won't be at the manor a lot for a while since we still need to finish school."

"Dobby would be most pleased to work for such a fine family and fix the manor, but Dobby be worried! If just Dobby stays, the manor will hurt Dobby badly in a day or two. Other elveses be needed immediately or magic damage will be very bad."

"Hmm, I see. Well Gringotts did offer to arrange the sale of some elves. How does this sound Dobby, we need to finish our tour today. Tomorrow we'll go to Gringotts and then return here with the new elves. We'll call you back at that time and everyone can bond to the manor together and start working. Alright? You can also let the head elf at school know you're leaving."

"That will work Master Lord Harry Potter sir!"

Dobby popped out and Harry sighed.

"We will also be working on a shorter way to address us tomorrow as well.

"I'm quite pleased grandson that you're dealing with the elf situation and the wards. It will be good to have the manor back in shape shortly."

Harry nodded to Fleamont and then everyone stepped out of the lord's office. Another five minutes saw them finish the tour of the first floor and then ascend to the second floor. On the landing of the second floor were more portraits, but now all the house portraits were awake and Harry's ancestors were eager to talk to them. While Harry found them intriguing, it slowed the tour down. The one that Harry did stop at was a full size portrait of his parents. They looked impossibly young and very in love. He came to a halt and pulled Hermione close as James spoke first.

"Hello again Harry and Hermione. I decided to jump between my pictures. I warned your mum that you were in the manor. I didn't warn her that you were bringing your wife."

"No you didn't James Henry! Harry, can you please introduce us?"

"Um, mum, this is my wife, Lady Hermione Jean Potter. We soul bonded a year ago. We've been best friends since our first year at Hogwarts. To catch you up a bit, I'm fifteen now, almost sixteen. This is my first visit to the manor. Voldemort is back. You and dad were killed by him when I was fifteen months old. I survived when the killing curse backfired. Voldemort managed to survive because he had created horcruxes, splitting his soul and storing pieces in various containers. During my fourth year, he got a new body and came back, gathering his Death Eaters back to him. I was hurt during that. It was when I was in the hospital wing that I kissed Hermione and we soul bonded. We've been dealing with the horcruxes for a year so he's mortal now. We're left with finding him and killing his resurrected form as well as hunting down the Death Eaters now. I've been gathering allies to House Potter and working toward that goal since the prophecy says I have to be the one to finish him. That's a quick summary."

Lily shook her head as she held onto James.

"My poor boy. I never wanted any of that for you. When Albus told us the prophecy, I half hoped it was mad rantings, even though we agreed to go into hiding. I'm glad you've found your soul mate at least. Who else is standing behind you?"

"Oh, excuse me. This is Drs. Neil and Jean Granger, Hermione's parents. They're dentists. Which you'll understand mum since you were muggleborn as well. Hermione is the smartest witch in our year. Actually the smartest in at least fifty years if not longer."

"Beautiful, smart, and muggleborn. That's how us Potter men like them. Well son, I know we have a lot more questions, but you still have to look around the rest of the manor."

"Yes dad. We'll be back tomorrow with the elves. We probably will stay a few days sometime during the summer to help the wards as well. We have to decide. I'll bring Sirius by as well. I'll set up chair and some pints and he can talk for a few hours."

"Yep, sounds like Padfoot. Take care son."

The tour continued around the second floor, which was mostly bedroom suites, as well as the second floor extension to the library. After that they moved up to the third floor. Here the area that Hermione was most interested in was the half of the floor that was reserved for the elves. The space they found was under some eaves with about a meter and a half head clearance, meaning they had to stoop. For elves though it was a perfect height. Within the space were corridors laid out with good size living rooms, a large galley kitchen, family bedrooms, bathrooms, and dorm bedrooms for younger elves. The space was decorated colorfully and was wonderfully homey. Although Harry's back was cricked by the end of the tour of the space, he and Hermione were reassured that they could comfortably accommodate up to twenty elves. He didn't plan on hiring that many, but the space was available.

Last on the tour for the day was the basement, half of which was storage areas, including a root cellar, a wine cellar, a crockery, and other essentials to the kitchen. There were also large general storage rooms that stored a large selection of extra tables and chairs for various functions. Much of it was shrunken, but even with shrinking spells, there was a limit. The other half of the cellar was a shock when they walked into what appeared to be a Roman bath with beautiful elaborate tile and a selection of hot and cold baths. Or at least that's what the various pipes designated. Everything was currently drained and in stasis, but it was easy to see that it wouldn't take much to get the baths and a massive lap pool functional once again. Next to that then was a large workout room with a range of equipment. Then there were two professional dueling rooms lined in Ironbelly hide over the thick granite walls that combined with the magical dummies were designed to take a beating. Harry was thrilled when he saw the setup. It would be a great place to train, as just one of the rooms was twice the size of the training room at Grimmauld.

With the basement tour done it was almost two in the afternoon and everyone was tired and hungry as they gathered around Harry to return portkey back to the Grangers. They hadn't looked around the outside of the manor, but figured that could wait until the next day. While Hermione and Neil fixed lunch, Harry went to send a note to Silverstaff to request a meeting the following morning to purchase elves. He knew it was Sunday, but hoped his account manager could arrange it.

After eating lunch with the Grangers and relaxing a bit, the Potters apparated to Grimmauld Place a bit before four in the afternoon. They went early so that they could talk to Sirius about the manor. When they brought up the subject of elves, he was dismayed that he seemed to have failed in his godfatherly duties. The problem was that the use of house elves was so ingrained in pureblood society that he didn't even think to explain it. He was excited though when he heard that James and Lily had a portrait. He hadn't realized that they had managed to get one painted and he was excited for a chance to see his friends in a way.

Training with Tonks went well, but the training room at Grimmauld was a bit cramped after they had been spoiled by the Room of Requirement. When Harry explained what he had available at Druimoor, everyone readily agreed to meet the following Wednesday at Druimoor when Tonks had a night off. Since Harry had put them all in the ward book, he would just need to key them to the floo, which Sirius would help him do the day of. The afternoon session wrapped up with everyone excited to see Harry's ancestral home in just a few days.

With their later appointment the next morning, the Granger house had a bit of a lie-in until half past eight before then enjoying a leisurely breakfast of scones and fruit. The Grangers had seen the manor the day before and had discussed if they wanted to come along, but had decided that they had their own business to attend to. It was important that Hermione and Harry handle some of their own without the parents tagging along. So, at a quarter until the hour, the Potters apparated to Diagon and then cautiously made their way to Gringotts.

When they entered the bank a single goblin greeted them at the side entrance due to the fact that it was a Sunday and they were there solely because of the Potter account and the fact that they had an appointment. They were led to Sliverstaff's office directly and their account manager did not waste time.

"Good morning Lord and Lady Potter. I take it you have been to visit Druimoor and now have seen the need for the acquisition of elves?"

"Yes Silverstaff. Truthfully, being muggle raised, the idea of the near slave status that many elves work under was difficult for me to swallow. I now understand that this is a perversion perpetrated by certain families. The elf quarters at Druimoor seemed quite sufficient. I was wondering if I may also set up an account as part of the house accounts for use by the elves?"

"Well normally the elves just draw on the house accounts. Druimoor will need a bit to get back in shape. I would say a house account of three thousand galleons a month should be more than sufficient. This should allow the elves to take care of the maintenance that Gringotts has been handling, as long as you purchase elves with those skills. You can designate what the elves use the funds for from that. If you wish some personal use, that can be specified."

"Fine, I'd like to establish a house account of three thousand galleons. I also need to modify the existing maintenance account that Gringotts has. I do appreciate the work that has been done to maintain the manor in stasis."

Silverstaff nodded and produced the forms. It took only a couple of minutes and the paperwork was complete.

"Now my lord, how many elves and what specialties do you need?"

"My lady and I discussed this last night. We need manor maintenance and cleaning primarily, as well as grounds maintenance. We want to get the orchard cleaned up and would like to have the fruit harvested rather than leave it to the birds and let it rot. The elves can use what they need and we'll take some for us and friends. The rest can be donated. As for the fields, we don't plan on opening those up for a few years. The elves may need to plant some vegetables for their own use and we wouldn't mind a few, but the plots would be minimal. A cook would be handy, but we won't be hosting lavish banquets for a while. I have one free elf already who is skilled in general maintenance and cleaning. With where the wards are at, I think we need another seven elves. That will give us eight total."

"Excellent. A sound plan. Please follow me then. Gringotts keeps a number of young elves that work here and train in the skills you mentioned."

The Potters followed their account manager out of the office and through the winding back corridors of the bank. Soon they reached a broad expanse of stone stairs and began to wind down. The climb was long but after continuing down what must have been several stories, Silverstaff veered down a long simple hallway and began to lead them through a maze of additional corridors until they came to a grey door that they stepped through. On the other side of the door was a large dorm like room with rows of beds and small wardrobes. The center of the room had long trestle tables where groups of elves were busy either eating or working on projects. Seeing they had visitors, all of the elves quickly gathered and lined up, grinning. Silverstaff took the lead as he greeted the elves.

"Good morning elves! This is Lord and Lady Potter. Their manor is currently in stasis without any staff. They have one other elf they are going to bond with later today, but they need an additional seven staff to join them at Druimoor. For the skill level they need, I want only those individuals who are twelve years of age or older to step forward. Please introduce yourself and state your skills."

The group of elves thinned by at least two-thirds, which Harry was glad for as it would make the choosing process easier. Then the remaining elves introduced themselves as requested. Hermione was thankfully making mental notes and they conversed mentally as the introductions moved along. Once everyone was done, Harry thanked them and then leaned in to have a more obvious conference with his wife. Soon they had made their decision and picked the seven individuals that they thought would suit their needs. When they were picked, the elves were so happy they were practically bouncing with joy. Silverstaff then stepped aside with Harry.

"Now Lord Potter, the elves are priced by age as that indicates the amount of training they've received. The total value of all the elves you've selected is 32,400 galleons. I have the draft slip here that will need your signature."

Harry just managed to avoid looking shocked. He supposed that considering how long he would have the elves that it was a deal, but the cost up front was steep. Dobby was quite the bargain. He signed the draft slip and the transaction was done.

"Thank you Lord Potter. Now, if you wish, I will escort you and your elves to a central portkey and apparition point. From there you can take them directly to Druimoor."

Harry agreed and turned to see that Hermione was now surrounded by their seven new family members, most of whom carried small bags of personal items and were ready to follow their new lord. The group all left and followed Silverstaff back out the twisting corridors of Gringotts until they reached the point where they could portkey. Hermione took Harry's hand and then all the elves gathered around to touch him as Harry activated the portkey and they were all on their way.

As soon as they reached the manor, the elves looked around in awe. Then the oldest, Giley, looked as if he were about to cry. Harry knew from Silverstaff that he was twenty-eight and had been sold back to Gringotts to clear some debts. He was skilled in managing a small homestead that was a secondary house and it was Harry's plan to put him in charge of the elves. Now he wondered what the problem was.

"Giley, what's the matter?"

"Sorry my lord, but I can feel the wards and they is bad. We have much work to do."

"Ah well, that is why you are here. First though, we are one short. Dobby!"

Dobby popped in and was bouncy with excitement. Then he looked around at the other elves and calmed himself. Harry immediately took charge.

"Dobby, are you ready to join House Potter?"

"Yes Master Lord Harry Potter sir!"

"Alright, first rule for all Potter elves. I am Harry, or Lord Harry if you must. Hermione?"

"Same for me. Hermione or Lady Hermione if you must. Nothing more."

"Now Silverstaff explained the bonding process to bond you to House Potter and the manor. The manor was secondary as I understand. I will go in order of seniority. Giley will be lead elf for the manor. Dobby will be his second. The rest please line up by age."

The elves all lined up as requested and Harry went down the line, placing his hand on each head so that his signet touched each as he called forth a bit of house magic as he stated the binding oath. The oath was quite basic and before long he had eight bonded house elves.

"Alright, excellent. That's the first step toward setting the manor right. I understand that my staying here some will help as well, so I will visit daily, mainly to train down in the basement. Your quarters are up on the third floor. Hermione will tell you what else needs to be done while the wards passively recharge."

"The first rule is that you are only to work ten hours a day. I prefer eight, but Silverstaff said that would be unheard of for elves. First priority are the training rooms in the basement. We need the pools functional as well as the workout rooms. Next, the main floor needs all the furniture uncovered and all the rooms cleaned. Work up from there. We don't plan on sleeping here or having overnight guests, so the second floor isn't a priority, although please see to the library as soon as possible. Today Harry and I will be looking around the outside of the manor and would like to have a picnic lunch. Besa you're our cook, so please do any food shopping that is necessary. That brings up the subject of household budget. There is a budget of 3000 galleons a month for the household. Use that as you need. If there is money left at the end of the month and you need something for yourselves please buy what you need or want. Friddy, you have sewing skills, please set aside time after the initial cleaning to purchase fabric and design uniforms for all the elves. Approve the design with myself and Lord Harry. These aren't clothes, they're uniforms. We're not giving them to you, we're only giving you the fabric. It's important that you project the proper image for House Potter. Any questions?"

None of the elves had any questions so Hermione and Harry apparated a couple of them up to the third floor. Once there, the others were able to use their elf skills to locate their master and mistress. All of the elves were amazed and overjoyed when they saw their quarters. They then insisted that they get busy on the list of items that Hermione had detailed. As all the elves popped out, Hermione and Harry were left alone.

 _Well, I guess that leaves us with our scheduled outside tour._

 _I guess. You still want to fly right?_

 _It will be the fastest way._

 _I know. Just not too fast. And no tricks. Please._

Harry gave a mental chuckle over his wife's less than enthusiastic response to an aerial tour of their property. She had to admit that it was the best option to tour 172 hectares of land. They both apparated back downstairs and then walked out to the back terrace. The terrace was grand and sweeping and the view would probably be quite impressive once the gardens were pruned and trimmed back to their original glory. Harry reached into his robes and pulled out his shrunken broom. Once he restored it to its original size and climbed on, he coaxed Hermione on in front of him and then urged it gently up into the sky.

The day was a glorious late June day and really was perfect for a fly. Even Hermione made a mental comment about it and Harry swept east as he turned to look at the back of the manor. Then he swept and skirted the gardens, noting that he had some rather expansive rose gardens. There were also a half dozen greenhouses. Those should be investigated. He wondered if there was anything still alive in them.

 _This is the magical world love. More likely that something took over and started its own kingdom in one of the greenhouses._

 _Ugh. You're probably right. Maybe I should have Neville come over and take a peek._

Hermione agreed and then they were off and skirting some forest before circling around to the orchard. It appeared that they had at least four different kinds of fruit trees, but they were in obvious need of maintenance. Further on they saw the many acres of unused fields, as well as a half dozen cottages for field workers. On the far end of the property there was another expanse of woods with a peaceful lake hidden within and even a modest waterfall along a stream that fed into a lake, all within the manor grounds, which Harry could feel via the wards.

Circling back along the west side, there was a large stable and several barns. Then as they circled back toward the manor there were several more utility buildings, as well as what looked like a garage. In total, the aerial tour took a bit over two hours before they landed on the back veranda again. As they touched down, two elves greeted them and they were pleasantly surprised to see a patio table and chairs had apparently been found in storage.

The elves were quite prompt and soon they were being served a quite delicious lunch that was most welcome as the flight had worked up an appetite. As Harry's appetite was satisfied, his thoughts were a bit disturbed.

 _What is it love?_

 _Just thinking that I shouldn't be this content. A wonderful flight with my lovely wife and now I sit here eating a delicious lunch at my manor, served by my elves. Meanwhile Voldemort is still who knows where planning more attacks._

 _I understand, but we can't do anything until we have more information. In the meantime we keep training so that we are ready. Maybe after we eat we see how the elves are coming along downstairs._

Harry nodded and gave a mental assent to that plan. He had seen the majority of his property and the elves were in place. He was visiting so that his magic added to the wards as well. The two different magics were doing what they could. He wouldn't feel safe allowing Hermione or anyone else to stay at the manor with the shape the wards were in, but they could visit during the days when the Grangers were working. He hoped the wards repaired quickly.

A few minutes later the Potters finished their lunch and thanked the elves, being sure to call Besa and thank her especially. Then they made their way to the basement. Once there they were thrilled to see that the pools were almost filled and the weight room and training rooms were cleaned up and ready for use. Although it was Sunday, they shed their over robes and practiced with the training dummies for an hour. Then they called Giley and Dobby and said goodbye for the day before returning to the Grangers so that they could spend some time with them before they returned to work for the week.


	29. A Plan Takes Shape

Chapter 29 - A Plan Takes Shape

The following week saw the start of July as a summer routine set in for the Potters. Although the manor still wasn't completely safe, they visited it during each day and spent time either training in the basement, studying in the library, or enjoying time out on the grounds. On Monday Sirius visited for the first time and set up a comfortable seat while the elves supplied refreshments and he spent hours talking to James and Lily's portrait, giving them a much longer history of all that had happened. Wednesday brought the arrival of all of their allies for their first training in the basement training rooms, with everyone quite appreciative of the facilities.

After two weeks of regular visits to the manor, and with the elves now in residence, Harry started to see firm changes in the wards, with the manor now showing yellow green and the grounds firmly yellow. Grandfather Fleamont had warned him it would take time, but the progress was encouraging.

What wasn't encouraging was the ongoing Death Eater attacks. Voldemort had truly gone to ground and frequent inquiries with Tonks brought no further leads. For at least the hundredth time, both Harry and Hermione regretted the fire that flushed him out of his known base.

One day in mid-July the routine was set to deviate slightly due to a morning meeting at Gringotts. The meeting was fairly routine to discuss a possible acquisition of a new apothecary goods supplier in Croatia. It was an opportunity that the Silverstaff said the business division had identified as having high potential and Harry was willing to hear about it. Anyway, it would break up the usual dullness that had infiltrated summer, especially now that they had finished the last of their homework assignments.

After eating an early breakfast with the Grangers and wishing them a good day at the practice, they had a bit of time to kill and then apparated to Diagon Alley as usual. Harry was in a hurry, hand on his wand as usual, but he would later admit to being a bit distracted as he thought about his businesses. It was Hermione who noticed the first trouble and gave the mental shout of warning.

 _Get down!_

They were almost to the bank and Harry grabbed Hermione as they dove to one side of the marble stairs. All around them was chaos as Death Eaters suddenly appeared in clouds of wispy black smoke and began to fire immediately. There weren't a lot of shoppers, but there were enough. It was a Friday discount day after all. Harry immediately sent a patronus off for help and then put up a shield as he began to coordinate with his wife.

 _Hermione, we need to help these people, only the one man by Eeylops is even trying to defend himself. I'll go over by Flourish, you take the Menagerie side._

 _Got it. Shields up. Let's just try to herd the sheep into buildings first._

With their destinations selected, the two young defenders began to help shoppers try to get into buildings, providing shields while at the same time sending cutting and bludgeoning curses at the attackers. Harry was done using anything weak like stunners. He was hoping to not have to use anything more severe. Once they were done with Flourish and Blotts and Magical Menagerie, he and Hermione inched their way up their sides of the street, trying to sweep innocents along under their shields and into shops as they went.

 _Where are the fucking Aurors?_

 _No idea._

As they passed two more shops, the Potters finally heard the welcome sounds of apparition around them and then saw Auror robes. The Death Eaters seemed to realize that they were outnumbered and began to disappear. All too soon it became eerily quiet as shields were dropped and Harry and Hermione went to embrace each other. Hermione had a nasty cut on her leg and Harry was holding his left hand painfully, but the injuries appeared minor. They were also exhausted. Looking around, they saw at least ten downed Death Eaters. Then Director Shacklebolt appeared and began barking orders before turning to them.

"Well Lord and Lady Potter, I may not have been happy with all of your escapades of late, but I have to thank you. If you hadn't been here, we'd have more than two innocents dead. We also have four dead Death Eaters and another seven captured. That will give us plenty to question. It looks like you both could use a healer though. Come this way."

Harry nodded, still stunned that they apparently had killed four. Of course those four were in the process of killing innocents. He had to remember that. They were led into a makeshift triage tent and Hermione's cut leg was healed quickly. Harry though had four broken bones in his hand. A splint was applied and he was handed doses of skele-gro and pain potion to be taken once they were home. Rightfully he should go to St. Mungo's, but he refused. Hermione would take care of him. Anyway, they still needed to check in with Silverstaff. They thanked the disgruntled healer and left him to his other patients.

As they left the healing tent, they spotted familiar pink hair and went to check in with Tonks. She was happy to see they were alright and glad to see evidence that her training had paid off. Then she was called away, but she promised to check in with them at the Grangers' house the next day.

After talking to Tonks, they finally made it to the bank and their very late meeting with Silverstaff, who was just amazed that they had still decided to come see him. The business discussion was kept brief and then they made a quick trip back home.

When the Grangers got home that evening Jean sought out her children and found them up in their room. Hermione was reading, watching over Harry, who was surprisingly asleep. What Jean didn't like were the potions bottles on the night stand and the splint on Harry's hand. She had knocked lightly and now whispered, albeit urgently.

"Hermione, what happened?"

Hermione sighed and set an alert spell over Harry, knowing that he would most likely still be asleep for a while. Then she guided her mum out of the room.

"Come on mum, let's go downstairs and I can tell you and dad everything at the same time."

Jean didn't like the sound of this, but conceded to that and a minute later Neil was looking at his worried daughter with concern as she sat her parents down in the living room.

"Dad, mum saw Harry upstairs. He's resting while the potions work on him. Our outing in Diagon today didn't go as planned. Death Eaters attacked. Thankfully we were there since the Aurors took a full three minutes to show and the general populace did little to defend themselves. Of course most of the shoppers were housewives out for Friday discount day. Harry and I both sustained minor injuries. Two innocents were killed. Several others were injured. Four Death Eaters were killed. I honestly don't know how many of those were due to Harry and I. Some might have been from friendly fire on their side with how inaccurate they were firing. A number were captured and will be interrogated by the DMLE. All I got was a minor cutting curse on my leg. A healing spell and a bit of salve tonight and I'll be fine. Harry took a glancing blow from a bludgeoner on his left hand. It could have been worse. He had four broken bones. We came home with skele-gro and pain potions. He refused to go to St. Mungo's. I would have preferred the hospital, but the bones were clean breaks and the potions are straight forward, but they will make him sleep a lot. I need to make a hearty soup tonight with lots of starchy potatoes for him to aid in the treatment. He should be fine in a day. Honestly, it was terrifying while it was happening, but our training proved out and we're fine now."

Neil was off the couch and pacing anxiously as he turned back to his daughter, shaking his head.

"Damn! Damn! Damn! I hate this! I wish we could take you both away from all this!"

"I know dad. I don't like it either. Remember, Harry and I feel each other's pain. I feel a bit of his fatigue as well. I'm ready to be done with Voldemort and live my life with my soul mate reforming pureblood wizarding Britain. Until then we do the best we can. Now, I really should work on the soup. Do you mind having that for dinner?"

"No dear, make what you need. I'll come help."

Hermione nodded and Jean went to help her in the kitchen. Meanwhile Neil decided to go work in the backyard. Jean had purchased some new large bushes the previous weekend and they needed holes dug. He figured taking his aggression out using a shovel on their rocky soil might help his attitude.

Harry slept for a couple of more hours and then insisted that he eat dinner downstairs with the family, although he did allow Hermione to make a sling for his hand. The soup was quite good and the potions made him eat three bowls worth. By the next morning he had finished the last potion and only needed to keep the splint on for the rest of the day to complete his treatment.

The next day was Saturday and normally they would visit the manor, but Harry was still recovering and Hermione wanted him to limit his movements. He had been thinking on something during the night though and wanted to do some research that would require the library. Of course, with their link, Hermione was well aware of his idea. She wasn't entirely thrilled with the idea, but she could see some merit to it and so she agreed on Saturday morning to visit the manor and find the books he needed.

Early Saturday arrived and Hermione woke, unable to sleep any longer as her thoughts churned with Harry's idea. Or Harry's thoughts were churning. Sometimes when they were both thinking about the same thing and working through the same problem it was hard to tell where one person's thoughts ended and the other's began. She carefully climbed out of bed so that she didn't disturb Harry. Then she showered and dressed before using her lady's ring to portkey to the manor. That was an incredibly useful bit of information they had found a week earlier in the lord's office-the information to allow the lady's ring to be granted portkey status to the manor.

As soon as she arrived, Giley and Dobby appeared, but she sent them back to their tasks and made her way to the library. It didn't take more than an hour to find what she needed and she was ready to return home. Before she did, she checked with Besa in the kitchen and the elf was happily waiting with fresh baked buns and fruit from the orchard that she took back for breakfast.

When Harry woke, he thanked his wife for her early errand and gave her a searing kiss. After breakfast they then both began working on research. After several hours, he had his answer and a plan began to form. Hermione didn't like it much, but she had to agree that she didn't have anything better.

That afternoon, Tonks came by to check on them and also update them on the cleanup and arrests. Even with her unique skills, she looked like she hadn't slept since the previous day. When Hermione offered her leftover homemade soup and bread for lunch, the stalwart Auror's facade almost crumbled with gratitude. As they sat eating lunch, she gave them their update.

"Well, the attack was actually highly planned within Voldemort's ranks. One of the ones we captured was Lord Walden McNair. Looks like he was the leader on it and it was his idea to aim for a Friday discount day. Apparently Mum McNair used to favor them and he figured the Alley would have more visitors than usual. Everyone else was secondary, but all were still marked and fairly high up the food chain. A lot from families whose names you would recognize. Shack is having various charges drawn up and the trials should start in a couple of weeks. There are two individuals who will take that long before they are released from St. Mungo's anyway."

Harry nodded, taking in the information and thinking now may be the time to propose his plan. Not with McNair for certain, but someone a bit more junior.

"That sounds good Tonks, so McNair is inner circle, will he be able to tell us where Voldemort is based?"

"Maybe, but because he sits on the Wizengamot he is protected from serum questioning, at least until a trial. If he gets a good solicitor, he can delay that for a while. The others are marked and do not sit on the Wizengamot, so we have already questioned them with serum. Unfortunately, they all talk to someone like McNair who has protections. None of them are close enough themselves to know where Voldemort is based. You have to love our system. So, they are close, but not too close."

"Damn, it seems they're learning their lesson. I do have an idea though, but it's not something you can approve. I need to talk to Kingsley and soon. I know he's busy. This actually is a bit tricky since he doesn't know the prophecy. It was easier when Amelia was the director, because she was an ally. Anyway, can you take him a note directly?"

"Um, sure. Mind you, they're both still not happy about the fire, but you earned points with your work yesterday. Write something up and I'll take it as soon as we're done eating. By the way, did you cancel training today since I'm working?"

"Yes, I sent notes to everyone while Harry was sleeping off the potions yesterday. I figured you would be busy before you even told us, plus I knew Harry needed to recover."

Tonks nodded and finished her soup. Then Harry went and retrieved some parchment and drafted a brief note to Kingsley that he sealed with his signet, asking that he meet with him as soon as possible at a place of his choosing. Tonks took it as soon as he was done. She seemed a bit more relaxed after a few minutes with friends and some good food. She then apparated away, leaving the Potters to return to their reading.

Several hours later a pop in the Grangers backyard brought Harry to attention while he was cooking dinner. Despite the wards on the property, both he and Hermione had their wands in hand since they weren't expecting any magical visitors. Then they heard a familiar voice calling from the backyard.

"Wotcher Potters and Grangers! I brought you a visitor. The man you wrote a note to earlier today decided to come chat now."

That was way too specific, combined with Tonks' unique manner of address, to be an imposter and everyone calmed a bit. Hermione went and opened the back door for their visitors.

"Hi Tonks, hi Kingsley, come on in. Harry's turning his pots down and then we can talk."

"Pots? Ooh, something does smell yummy."

Harry laughed as Tonks grew her nose to an impossible length and extended it toward the kitchen.

"You're both welcome to stay if you wish. Shrimp scampi over linguini with spinach."

"It smells great, but my elf probably already cooked something."

"Well, I don't have an elf. All I have is a can opener. I'll be happy to stay."

Hermione laughed and then introduced Kingsley to her parents before all six of them went to the living room. Hermione looked warily at her parents. They hadn't heard the plan yet and she knew they wouldn't like it. Still, they needed to know.

"Mum, dad, you're welcome to sit in, but you need to know that we're going to discuss a final plan to take on Voldemort. You won't like it, but we have to move ahead."

"I figured by how serious the two of you looked all of a sudden that I wouldn't like it. I suppose it's better than random attacks on the way to the bank. Go ahead, I'll try to keep quiet over here."

Harry nodded and took a breath as he looked to Kingsley.

"Kingsley, Tonks briefed us on the arrests earlier today. I know McNair led the attack on Diagon, but he is protected due to his seat on the Wizengamot. That's ridiculous, but it's not something we can do anything about for now. It seems he is the only one of the group with direct contact with Voldemort. The others are marked, but haven't been that close. I want to use one of them for a messenger. That means letting one of them go though. I know, I hate the idea, but I have a possible solution. Here's why I want to do it. We can't just sit back and let Voldemort send out his attackers to do his dirty work whenever he wants. It took the Aurors three and a half minutes to respond and look what they managed to do in that time. And that was on a magical target. Muggle targets are worse. We need to find Voldemort. I know Dumbledore mentioned a prophecy, well it says that it has to be him and me. I know some don't believe the prophecy, but anyway we need to flush him out and fighting me will do it. So, I want to challenge him to a duel…"

Tonks hissed and Jean gasped. Neil could no longer sit still and got up to pace behind the couch as Harry continued.

"I've been reading the ancient rules on dueling. I'm not talking the modern dueling circuit rules. The ancient rules are different. I, as the heir of Gryffindor, am going to challenge the heir of Slytherin to a duel under the ancient rules. I want a one on one battle at the ancient site that is said to be the birthplace of magic in the British Isles. I don't want to give him the advantage of calling on his werewolves for the full moon on the thirtieth, so the duel with be the 22nd of July. The spot will be at the confluence of the Rivers Tay and Lyon on the edge of the Tay Forest near the Croft Moraig. Anyone who is a student of history will know the significance. I am sure he will bring his Death Eaters and I will bring my supporters, but we shall personally only fight each other. His pride will force him to accept, not to mention that turning me down will look bad in the eyes of his followers. That is the message I wish to draw up and have carried to him by one released prisoner via a chain of compulsion charms. Also, even though we have to release one prisoner, we can try tracking him after he has a chance to carry his message. They may check for magical tracking charms, but I doubt they know a thing about muggle devices. I want to try to put a muggle tracking device on the person we choose. Then we can just take him back after he serves his purpose."

Kingsley sat back and looked at the young lord in front of him. The room was silent for long minutes while everyone contemplated Harry's plan, but it was his place to break the silence.

"Damn, alright Harry. It's a hell of a plan. I don't like it one bit, but I don't have anything better by a long shot. I can see that Hermione is supporting you, but I can guess she doesn't like it either. We would have just over a week to get our forces together. You wouldn't prevent us from going against anyone else besides Voldemort?"

"No, he will bring his best I'm sure and so will we."

"Fine. I'll agree. There is a young halfblood we have who has worked himself up the chain of command amazingly far. Name of Taylorson. I'd prefer to not release one of the purebloods back to their families. Draft your letter and I'll arrange to meet with him tomorrow and give him the letter. Tell me about the compulsion charm you are planning?"

Harry squeezed Hermione's hand. This was where her brilliant spellwork would come into play.

"Well, Harry's plan for the duel is the main focus, but the message has to get through several hands to Voldemort. That means getting past any number of individuals who may decide they know better and decide not to pass it on. The initial compulsion charm on the first person is easy enough, but we need to layer the charm so that it passes on to each person who handles the letter. I've found an interlaced charm that should work. It's tricky, but as long as it doesn't take too long between each handoff we should be fine. So I'm also adding a bit of an urgency compulsion. This kind of charm work is intensive though and typical parchment can only hold so much. I've seen some special parchment that's quite expensive, but we're going to pick up one sheet tomorrow. It's multilayered with dragonhide so that it will hold the charms better. Once we have that, Harry will draft his letter, I'll do the charms and he can seal it with his signet and blood. Then we can do the corresponding charms on Taylorson. Oh, we will also add a sonorous charm to the spellwork, not quite a howler, but it should make the letter read out loud so that anyone nearby will hear the challenge when Voldemort reads the letter. That will be important, so that anyone of his nearby followers knows he has been challenged."

"Damn. You would think I wouldn't be surprised by now. Are you sure you just finished OWLs? If this all works and we get past all this, I'm swearing Filius to secrecy and then telling him this so he can give you some extra credit. So, it sounds like you have some work to do in the morning. You also need to get that muggle device. I don't know if Taylorson will notice it or not, he was raised magical. Why don't you come by the department around two tomorrow. Once you're done with Taylorson we'll release him to a generic location and send him on his way. It'll be like winning the lottery for him."

"Sounds good. I know this is not the best situation, but hopefully this will see an end to the madness."

Kingsley sighed and nodded. He hoped so too. Still, it just seemed like more madness added to the rest.

The group spent another half hour planning and ironing out details for the next day. The Grangers were even given a couple of tasks. The timeline was tight, so everyone would be busy with tasks in the morning before releasing their messenger in the afternoon. Once the details were finished, Kingsley excused himself and then Harry returned to the kitchen to complete dinner. Tonks stayed and raved over the meal before leaving for her own flat shortly after nine that evening.

By the time the Potters turned in that night, both were feeling the fatigue of a long day spent planning monumental events and worrying too much. They needed the comfort of each other and happily cuddled up, wrapping themselves together tightly. Even mentally there wasn't much conversation, touch said so much more. After a bit though the kisses grew longer and more heated until they were snogging and soon even the few items of summer sleepwear started to be tossed aside. As Harry stared down at his wife and she saw the burning green fire that desired only her, she couldn't help but whimper as her body responded and she felt a trickle of fluid between her legs. Then he was kissing her again while his fingers explored her. His thoughts betrayed an apparent need to work up her desire, but she had about had enough.

 _Harry James, get your bloody fingers out of the way and make love to me already!_

Harry gave a mental chuckle and then he finally complied as he quickly slipped into her, gasping as he pulled her closer and thrust as deep as he could into her. With their eyes locked, they were completely merged and began to set a mutual steady rhythm. Neither wanted to end too soon, but both desperately needed to come. It was a heady dance, an impossible balance that continued for long minutes. When Hermione felt she was close, she flipped them over and began to ride Harry in perfect, rolling motions, each downward plunge eliciting a perfect gasp from her husband. Finally neither could continue and the explosion came as Harry sat up and clutched her to his chest as he ejected stream after stream into his beloved as their mouths met in a kiss that drowned their silent screams as each clung to each other. The climax lasted untold minutes as each continued small thrusts before finally falling back to the bed and falling asleep still linked to each other in body, mind, and soul.

All too soon the next morning, Hermione's tempus charm tried to summon the lovers from their post coital bliss. Their lovemaking was always wonderful, but sometimes it sent them into a unique oblivion that was almost like an intense dreamless sleep potion that was hard to pull themselves out of and this morning was one of those. After several attempts, they finally managed to drag each other to the shower together and then mostly behaved and finished the shower in a relatively decent amount of time. They may have been a bit late on the schedule for the day, but neither was complaining.

For the Potters, their first errand was a visit to Flourish and Blotts for a single sheet of the special dragonhide parchment. At twelve galleons a sheet, Harry would be writing very carefully and only using the one.

While Harry and Hermione went to Diagon and then returned to start the letter, the Grangers both had errands of their own since it was Sunday and they weren't working. Jean was paired with Tonks, who was apparating her to the chosen duel site in Scotland. It was a relatively remote section of land with historic significance that was also the conjunction of a number of ley lines. Anyone magical would feel the power in the land immediately. Jean's task was to survey the land with Tonks' help. Hermione's methodical mind came from her mother, who spent the morning charting the ground and taking rolls of non-magical film, as well as copious notes, so that they would have the lay of the land. While she did so, Tonks also took lots of magical pictures to add to the effort.

While Jean and Tonks were busy, Neil was in north London at ten when a special shop opened that sold security and surveillance gear. A couple of years earlier he had bought security cameras for the dental practice there and knew they also sold tracking devices used by private investigators. Harry was covering the costs, so he was free to get whatever was needed.

With everyone else busy, Kingsley wasn't slacking either and had gotten to the office early to start contacting some muggle resources. He had been told that the muggles could get detailed pictures of the entirety of the British Isles from space and now he wanted to see if that was true.

By eleven in the morning, Neil was back home and Hermione was looking over the tracking device. With the battery it was about twice the size of her thumbnail, which was quite impressive. Her main concern was how long it would last around magic. Contrary to popular assumption, magic didn't kill electronics instantaneously. It depended on the amount of magic and the device. Still, she didn't think the tracker would last long if they took it into the Ministry. That brought up some discussion and planning that had just started when Jean and Tonks arrived back at the house. Tonks stayed to talk for a couple of minutes, while Jean left to drop off her film at the one hour photo center.

A half hour later Jean was back with a large order of fish and chips and the plan was worked out. Tonks ate quickly and then left to inform Kingsley of the slight change of plans. Harry and Hermione would still be at the Ministry as planned, but from there the plan would deviate a bit.

At half past one, the Grangers wished them well and the Potters apparated to an alley near the Ministry. Once there, they found a nook above some bricks and tucked away a brown paper parcel that contained the tracking device. Then they walked across the street and entered the Ministry via the visitor's entrance. As they entered, they knew their presence would be noticed, but the cover story for the media would be that they were there to give statements regarding the Diagon attack a couple of days previously. Of course they elicited stares, but thankfully Tonks was waiting at the security desk and escorted them quickly through.

As soon as they were in the DMLE offices they were taken straight to a conference room to the side of Kingsley's office where the director was waiting. Once they stepped in, they saw Amelia was there too.

"Minister Bones..hello."

"Enough formality, we're all friends here. I'm glad you're early. Shack has filled me in on the plan and I had my secretary clear my calendar. I can't say I like this one damn bit, but I don't think anyone does. I wanted to talk to you first. You notice Shack just stepped out. This room is level one secure. I'm here to ask a favor, as an ally."

"Alright, please go ahead."

"I know you haven't told Shack everything, but he deserves to know. I respectfully request that you offer an alliance with the Most Noble House of Shacklebolt. You won't regret it. Kingsley's a good man."

 _Hmm, what do you think love?_

 _Well, we did bring Amelia into the alliance at Arthur's suggestion and that's worked well. House Shacklebolt is one of the Sacred Twenty–Eight. And everything Tonks has said about the man is above board._

"Alright Amelia, we offered you an alliance at Arthur's prompting. I'm willing to do the same with Kingsley at your prompting. If he accepts. Let me bring him and Tonks back in."

Harry stuck his head out and gestured the two Aurors back in. Once all were seated, he took the lead.

"Kingsley, I have some non-Ministry business first. House Bones is allied with House Potter and Amelia has encouraged me to ally with House Shacklebolt as well, if you are willing? There are house secrets that would help you, but I cannot reveal otherwise."

Kingsley took a long slow breath and nodded.

"Alright. I had a suspicion that you and Amelia were allied. I've had some questions. I'll happily ally with House Potter. We both stand for the light. Who else is allied beside House Bones?"

"Houses Black, Longbottom, Weasley, and Lovegood, as well as Remus Lupin, and my in-laws the Grangers. Also the former Blaise Zabini, is now under Potter protection and is privy to our secrets. Now, I, Lord Harry James Potter, offer you an alliance with the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, what say you?"

"I, Lord Kingsley Aloysius Shacklebolt, accept an alliance with the Most Noble House of Shacklebolt and the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. On my magic, so mote it be."

The magic flared between them and Harry felt the familiar flare in his signet as he clasped hands with Kingsley.

"Thank you Lord Shacklebolt. Now, there is much you need to know. I will try to do this quick given what else we need to do today…"

Harry proceeded over the next twenty minutes to tell him about the prophecy and the horcruxes, including destroying all of them, up to and including the snake the most recently. Hermione helped with mental promptings to ensure he didn't skip over anything too important in his haste. Kingsley only barely managed to remain in his seat. When Harry finished, he leaned back to give the director of the DMLE a chance to talk.

"Alright, well that explains a lot. I knew there was a prophecy. Albus told the Order that much, but never gave us the exact wording. I don't know how much of it I believe. I know you told me that it said you had to kill him, but now to know the details about how it pinpointed you on Halloween…wow. I wish I'd known about the horcruxes sooner. It explains what the hell you were doing in Wales and why the Minister was aiding you recently and going around me, even if I don't like it. I still think the fire was foolish, but that's past and done. Let's move on with this next plan. We were going to release Taylorson at two. It's now a couple of minutes past. Not that it matters, he'll be glad to go whenever. Are we ready to move forward?"

"Yes, we've got the letter and Hermione's ready with the charm work. Her specialty."

"Well I for one will be interested to watch."

Kingsley nodded in agreement with Amelia.

"I've got that covered Amelia. I've reserved one of the interrogation rooms so that you can watch from the observation chamber."

"Excellent, thanks Shack. Let's get moving then. Tonks, you want to retrieve Taylorson?"

Tonks nodded and headed for the holding cell while the four others made their way to the interrogation room that Kingsley had set aside. The Potters went inside, while Kingsley and Amelia went next door to watch. A couple of minutes later, Tonks brought in the manacled and blindfolded Taylorson.

"Here he is. They changed out his prison garb this morning. I'll go next door and wait."

"Where ta bludy hell am I?"

"Shut up Taylorson!"

Harry cast a silencing charm, as well as a sticking charm on the chair. Then he let his wife begin working her temperance and compulsion charms. The first would calm the subject down enough to let the interlace of the second set of charms work better. Harry stood back and marveled at Hermione's spellwork. She was still fretting over their anticipated OWL results when she could do this? It took a full ten minutes and she was tired by the end, but soon the charms were done. When she stepped back, he waved the others into the room and Kingsley practically apparated over.

"Damn that was beautiful to watch! Alright, he's still looking a bit confunded, time for the next step. Here's the portkey. Set to activate when needed. Grab hold of our man, then tap the key with your wand and say 'Shack', it will take you to the spot we picked out. Tonks went there a couple of minutes ago to make sure no muggles are about."

Harry did as indicated and soon the three of them went spinning briefly and landed in the alley across from the Ministry. It was the same spot where Harry and Hermione had left the tracker about an hour earlier and Tonks was waiting for them.

"Wotcher you two. Let's get moving. Our man is starting to look more alert."

Harry nodded as he went to retrieve the package from the nook where he had secured it. Meanwhile, Hermione bent and cast a minor diffindo on the hem of Taylorson's robe. The small tear in the hem created a perfect small space to secure the tracker. Harry opened the package and turned on the device. Looking at the handheld monitor it appeared to be working. Hermione secured the tracker in the hem and then repaired the small tear in the robe. Finally, she worked one more small memory charm to cover the last few minutes that they were with Taylorson, then she checked that the letter to Voldemort was secured well within his robes. With that done, they all grabbed the portkey and returned back to where they had left to find Kingsley and Amelia waiting.

"So, how'd it go?"

"All according to plan, but I've got the monitor for the tracker turned off inside the Ministry. We're going to turn it back on when we get back to the Grangers. I want to see where he goes."

"Alright, it's Sunday, I want to see this. Will they mind visitors?"

"No. Especially not with how important this is. Mum's pictures should be done now as well. We can discuss strategy as well."

"Sounds good. By the way, I sent a team of Aurors to the Tay Forest region while you were gone and set things up as we discussed, but we can talk more when we get to the house."

Soon the five of them were back at the Grangers and found Neil and Jean waiting anxiously. As Harry looked around, he realized they really needed to bring all the allies in, last minute or not.

"Everyone, I'm going to try to gather all the allies. I would normally bring everyone to the manor, but we need a non magical location. Mum, dad, hope you don't mind?"

"Of course not son, how about I order Chinese? Should be able to order enough to have something for everyone. It's still a couple hours until dinner yet, but I figure we'll be here for awhile."

"Sounds fine. Hermione, should we split the list?"

Hermione and Harry split up and began to apparate to collect their allies. At times like this, they really could have used a phone, but it would do. Harry went first to Neville and then to Grimmauld, where he also found Remus. Amelia agreed to go home to retrieve Susan. Hermione meanwhile went for the Weasleys and Lovegoods, which included Blaise, who was staying at the Burrow. By twenty after three the Grangers house was full of the allies of House Potter, all of whom had been told there was an emergency meeting, but had not been given more details. Thankfully it was Sunday, so everyone had been home. Once everyone was seated with drinks, Harry took the lead.

"Thanks for coming everyone. Sorry for not giving you any notice, but everything has been happening fast. You all heard about the attack on Diagon. Kingsley can tell you more about that, but first you need to know that House Shacklebolt is now part of the House Potter alliance and he knows all the details about what we have been facing. Both Hermione and I received minor injuries during the attack and while I was recovering, I had an idea of how to pull Voldemort out of hiding. It isn't something that anyone is terribly happy with, but we don't have anything better. So, we're going with my plan and it's already been put into motion this afternoon…"

Harry was interrupted by Hermione, who was holding the tracker, which seemed to have now indicated that Taylorson had reached a steady destination.

"Harry, he hasn't moved for thirty minutes. Let me check the atlas."

Neil's large fold-out atlas of Britain had been moved from his office to the dining table and now Hermione was flipping through it and comparing it to the tracking map. Soon she stopped and slowed down before finding the page she needed.

"Kingsley, he's in Oxford just south of the old castle. Right next to the river. Should be just off Paradise Street."

"Understood. I'll be back in a few. We'll put some surveillance in the area, but let's keep tracking and see if he moves again. Harry, please continue, I'll be back."

"Right, we'll explain that in a bit everyone. Anyway, my idea that I had to draw Voldemort out is to challenge him to a duel under the old laws. I'm challenging him as the heir of Gryffindor to the heir of Slytherin."

The room echoed with protests, with Molly Weasley being predictably loud, but Harry put up his hands and eventually the room calmed.

"I told you that the idea wouldn't be popular. Having random Death Eater attacks in Diagon and in muggle shopping malls is worse. This is the plan we're moving ahead with, so let me continue with what we've done. I had to get word of my challenge to Voldemort, so we decided to use one of his junior flunkies as a sort of messenger owl. I drafted a letter on special parchment that Hermione enchanted with some seriously complex interlaced compulsion charms. That letter was given to a man by the name of Taylorson and he was released this afternoon. The charms will compel him to pass the letter on to whomever he reports to, who should then be compelled to keep passing it on until it gets to Voldemort. Of course we knew Taylorson would be checked for tracking charms, but we didn't think he would be checked for muggle devices. That's what you see Hermione watching. We have a muggle tracking device on him. It's our hope that he can serve his purpose and then we can still take him back into custody. Kingsley may even be able to track down some Death Eater bases and take some others in as well. We don't know how long the electronics will last around magic, but hopefully long enough."

Everyone looked a bit shocked, but it was Bill who asked the practical question.

"Alright, I don't like this much, but when and where is this duel?"

"The time I named is noon on the 22nd of July. The location is the purported birthplace of magic in the isles, the ley line center, the confluence of the Rivers Tay and Lyon on the edge of the Tay Forest near the Croft Moraig."

"Shocking, you weren't sleeping through all of History of Magic Harry."

Hermione laughed.

"I said the same thing Luna."

"I do a lot of extracurricular reading. Binns didn't have anything to do with it."

Next to speak up was Arthur, just as a pop signaled Kingsley's return.

"The 22nd doesn't give us much time to plan."

"No, but we've already started. Hermione, why don't I watch that for a few and you fill them in on what we've got so far. Jean, you as well."

"Yes, this morning mum and Tonks did a survey of the site and took magical and non-magical pictures, as well as sketches of the major landmarks. Kingsley, now that you're back, did you get in contact with your sources?"

"Yes. I don't understand these satellite images, but they say they have detailed pictures taken from space that will give us images from the sky of the area. I'll have them by tomorrow. Also, this afternoon I sent two teams to the area. The entire space has been blanketed with keyed anti apparition and anti-portkey wards. Keyed means that if you have the passcode you can get through, which we do. It means if you don't, you have to walk in from over three kilometers out. We've made one exception for a few days. We've created a funnel whereby anyone apparating in lands in a small open clearing. I've got a group of Aurors waiting there of course. Our hope is that when Voldemort gets the letter he'll send scouts and no matter where they try to land, they'll end up filtered straight into the Aurors. That way we at least arrest a few more of his lower echelon. One less wand we have to fight."

"Well, I have your non-magical photographs developed here already, as well as my notes, I can show you the layout of what to expect. Most of the area is open until you reach the forest on the west and southwest. There is some rocky terrain. The only animals are sheep and a couple of deer, but they took off and scare easily."

The focus soon turned to Jean and Tonks who had been at the site the most recently as a couple of card tables were setup and the notes and pictures were spread out in order of the actual lay of the land. Soon stomachs grumbled and Neil called for a large order of Chinese food, amazing a number of the purebloods both with the telephone and the idea that the food would soon appear on the doorstep. When everyone began to eat, the group started to rave over the amazing variety of the exotic cuisine.

As dinner wrapped, Susan was taking a turn watching the tracker and noticed that Taylorson was moving as she alerted everyone. Then there was a sudden jump that indicated he had apparated. As dishes were cleared, Hermione came to show her how to use the atlas and locate where he had moved to. It only took a couple of minutes for Susan to announce the new location.

"Kingsley, we've got him in Wimbourne. Cutback Street right where it bends down toward the harbor. It looks like he's stopped."

"Got it. I wonder if he's in for the night? We can hope. I'll send surveillance there as well."

"The rest of us should probably call it for the night. I know the Grangers have to get back to their business in the morning. Thank you for hosting us."

"Of course. This is all a bit surreal. To think I'm going back to fixing teeth in the morning."

"That's how I felt this past year mum. Working on horcruxes one minute and being the dutiful schoolgirl the next. It's a surreal life."

The rest of the group thanked their hosts and all the allies agreed to meet for training on Tuesday afternoon at the manor. As the last of the guests popped out, the house grew quiet again and Hermione could only think that it was the calm before the storm.


	30. Planning and Preparing

Chap 30 - Planning and Preparing

After everyone left, Harry and Hermione kept an eye on the tracker, but Taylorson didn't move again before ten in the evening. At that time Harry told Hermione to get some sleep while he took the first shift. They decided to each take four hour shifts watching the tracker in case their subject ended up being a night owl who decided to move on them. Then around 11:20 Harry noticed that the tracker disappeared completely and decided he needed to check with Hermione as he gave her a gentle mental nudge.

 _Hermione my love…_

 _Mmmhmmm…_

 _Hermiiiooonnne…_

 _I'm here, what time is it? My turn?_

 _It's only 11:20, but the tracker isn't showing anything._

 _Hmm, let me look._

Hermione got up and checked. After resetting the device and watching for a couple of minutes, she concluded that the device had finally overloaded or the battery had gone dead. Anyway, it appeared that they wouldn't get any more data on Taylorson and Harry sent Hedwig off with an urgent message to Kingsley. Then he and Hermione both went to sleep.

Monday morning dawned quietly, but Harry and Hermione were both busy calculating everything they had to get done for the day. They were up early in the morning and down at breakfast to talk to Neil and Jean. Once breakfast was over, the two couples departed for their separate destinations. The Grangers to their practice, Hermione to Grimmauld, and Harry to the manor.

When Hermione arrived at Grimmauld, it was unplanned, but the floo alarm chimed to announce her. Sirius was barely awake, but Remus was in the kitchen with his tea, reading the Prophet and came in to see who was calling.

"Hermione, good morning. What's happened since last night?"

"Nothing, except that we've been thinking on a lot of things. I'm glad you're here too. Is Sirius awake?"

"Grr..I'm uh..awake…um yeah…"

Hermione smirked as she turned to look at the tousled Lord Black in house robe and slippers.

"Very good. It's past eight you know. Those mirrors you made in school. We need more. As many as you can make in the next few days, but we need them a third smaller. And we'd like to use them as you make them. Impervious and unbreakable charms on them as well as long as it doesn't interfere with communications. Also, if you can make a broadcast feature that will allow an open communication to all recipients that would be very helpful. We start training at the manor tomorrow and ideally we'd like to train with them. Having battlefield communications will make a big difference. Harry will pay you back for any costs.

"Whatever. You do know it took us fourteen months to develop those."

"So you have your notes and know what you did. It should be easier now. Harry also said if you need me to help that it may speed things up. He is giving this top priority."

Remus smirked.

"I see. So he heard that we needed Lily for the final development of the mirrors before so he figures we need another bright witch to do it again. I appreciate the vote of confidence. We'll see if we need the help. Padfoot, you go get a shower. I already had one. I'll get dressed and go shopping. By the time I'm back, hopefully you'll have found all your brain cells and we can get to work. Hermione, I assume you and Harry will be at the manor?"

"Yes, Harry and I will be working on a mockup of the battle site. We've got plenty of open land to do it and all the pictures and reconnaissance data. By tomorrow hopefully we can start running drills."

"Excellent. Well, we've got our marching orders. We'll talk to you later."

Sirius growled something, but left and headed back upstairs as Hermione floo'd away to join Harry back at the manor.

While Hermione was making her trip to Grimmauld, Harry arrived at the manor and immediately called for all the elves. All eight lined up in front of him, but a few looked a bit uneasy since he was a bit agitated.

"Hi everyone, calm down. No one is in trouble. I need your help with a big project. You all have been doing a great job with the manor. I know there is a lot of work around here, but I have been very happy with how quick of a turnaround the place has been seeing. For the next week or so we need to take a bit of a break for a special project though. I'm preparing for a battle, but since I know where the battle will be I need to simulate the exact battle site. I want to use some of the farmland on the edge of the forest. The battle site will also have some rivers, so I want to go north of here where I have one river. Or, well large creek really. We also need to move some boulders and trees around and make it look like it does at the site. I need to do this today because I will have allies coming tomorrow so we can start practicing fighting. That also means that there will be at least twenty people to feed here tomorrow. If there's going to be more, I'll let you know. I have pictures and charts, but I need a table to lay it all out…"

Dobby immediately popped away and returned a minute later. Two other elves helped and soon the grand entrance hall had a series of large tables. The elves watched intently as Harry began to lay out all of the pictures and notes he had. He really could use the magical pictures. He needed to talk to Tonks. He looked around and saw the elves were hovering around, their big eyes taking it all in. He could see they were already planning. He was about halfway through the layout when Hermione arrived.

"Hi Harry. I just got done setting Remus and Sirius on their task. Sirius was barely awake. I see you are busy."

"Yes, but I need to get the magical pictures from Tonks. I'm also curious to find out from Kingsley if anything came from the tracking locations."

"Hmm, alright. Why don't I go to the DMLE while you finish the layout here? Whenever you show up at the Ministry, it raises eyebrows."

Harry sighed and nodded. That was too true. Hermione turned and left to floo to the Ministry while he continued on his task. Jean had taken a copious amount of picture angles.

When Hermione arrived at the Ministry, she warranted barely a glance as she disappeared in the early morning crowds at the Ministry and made her way to the DMLE. Once there, she found Tonks easily and their friend was happy to see her.

"Wotcher Hermione! Long time no see."

"I came instead of Harry. Less fuss. He was wondering if you got your pictures developed."

"Sure thing. I made a couple of copies. Here's one set for you. I have questions, but let's see if Shack has a quick minute."

Tonks led Hermione through the maze of cubicles to Kingsley's office in the back corner of the department. Thankfully he answered their knock and seemed relieved when he saw who it was, gesturing them in immediately. As soon as the door closed, he sealed it with an elaborate rune cluster over the door.

"I'm glad you came by this morning Hermione. Saves me a trip. And thanks for the early morning alert on the tracker. We raided two locations identified by surveillance located near the two tracker locations, which got us close. Both were Death Eater hideouts. At the second we took Taylorson back. He was still in bed and not at all happy to have been duped. We arrested sixteen between the two locations, only five were marked though. The others were all low level scum though. We did seize plenty of stolen goods and illegal potions and such. So, while getting the letter to Voldemort was the main aim, we still got the messenger back and got a bit of other junk off the streets as well. I'd be all for using your muggle trackers in the future if we can make them a bit more robust. Anyway, something to look at in the future. So, what are your plans?"

"Well, I'm glad to hear that Taylorson isn't on the streets anymore. And getting a few others as well is also good news. Harry is at the manor today to prepare for training starting tomorrow. We've got the land to build a mockup of the site and he is going to get the elves working on that. I came by to get a copy of Tonks' pictures to go with the non-magical pictures that my mum took. We're going to try to duplicate the area as close as possible. All the junior allies are coming for lunch tomorrow and then we start training. The adults that have to work will come later. Also, I visited Grimmauld and Remus and Sirius are working on building communication mirrors for the field."

"Well, it sounds like you've been busy and it's not even nine in the morning. Of course, Harry did set a tight timeline. I'm picking elite squads of Aurors for this, but I don't want word leaking. I may need to sequester them somewhere and then put out word that they're on an out of country assignment. We need to keep this as quiet as possible."

"Well, the manor has room. We can bunk them there. The elves would love to have visitors. When would you want to bring them in?"

"Hmm, there's an idea. Let me think on that. Oh, one other thing, I had a package waiting this morning from my muggle resources. The satellite images from the site came through. Truly amazing to think these pictures were taken from space. There are multiple copies, so here's one for you. It should help Harry with what he's working on today."

Kingsley handed over an envelope and then his alarm buzzed and he growled, realizing he had an appointment. Hermione and Tonks excused themselves and Hermione made her way back to the Atrium to floo back to the manor.

Once she was back at the manor, Hermione added the magical pictures and satellite images to the nearly completed map layout of the duel site that Harry had been working on. In another half hour it was complete and they were ready to begin with the mockup. All the elves were practically bouncing with excitement to begin the project as Harry turned back to look at them.

"Alright, I know the area that I think is the closest match to the site already. We're going to fly to that spot. It's a distance from here, north and west of the manor. Once I arrive, I'll call for Giley. That will be the signal that we're ready. Can one of you please link the tables and put them in stasis just like they are now so that they don't move? Then bring them to us when we call for you?"

The elves nodded and Harry and Hermione left for the back veranda, where they then mounted the Firebolt and took off. Harry was excited and zoomed off quickly, causing a small yelp from his wife.

 _Harry, I know you're running on adrenaline, but please slow down. Remember who is riding with you._

 _Sorry dear._

Harry slowed down and also adjusted his course slightly. The slower speed did allow him to get a look at the grounds and see some of what the elves had been working on. The manor was looking much better with all the furniture in good repair, the wood polished, and all the lights working. Now looking at the grounds he saw that the gardens were pruned, as was the orchard. All the lawns were not only mowed, but had been treated and were looking much greener. In total, the entire manor was starting to look healthier. It wasn't just about invisible wards, the visible elements too were noticeably better.

After about eight minutes direct flying, they reached the spot that Harry had been thinking about, on the edge of some fields and the start of some forest. He circled to ensure that he had remembered correctly and checked with Hermione.

 _Yes love, this looks like a good place to start. It already has a lot of similar physical features._

With that reassurance, Harry landed and then called for Giley. A moment later, all the elves appeared. Then Dobby snapped his fingers and the planning tables popped in, completely in stasis with everything laid out. Rubbing his hands, Harry was ready to get started.

"Alright everyone, you can see that this spot already has some similarities. The forest is almost perfect positioned, but it sticks out a bit here, while it doesn't curve over here. The first task I would like you to do is to move the trees from this point and create a curve to the forest over in this section. Is that possible?"

Dobby bounced and nodded, then took two of the younger elves and headed off to do as requested. That left five elves still looking at Harry, obviously waiting for their assignment. Harry had thought the trees would take more help, but since they didn't, he moved on.

"The next big task is the rivers. We have the one river and the path is close enough to the River Lyon, except that it's wider and rougher. I'd like to divert some of that flow and create a temporary diversion into a secondary path so that it looks like the River Tay. We can eventually loop it back into itself a couple of kilometers away. I don't think the battle will extend that far. So, the next task is digging the secondary riverbed to match what would be the River Tay and then splitting the water."

This time it was Giley who nodded and took two other elves as he left to work on that task, leaving two of the youngest elves with Harry and Hermione. They seemed a bit daunted to be left with the lord of the manor, so Harry smiled at them reassuringly.

"Okay, so that leaves the four of us to start looking around for large boulders to match the ones at the site. Then we have to levitate them into their correct positions. Let's start looking around. Let's do this in pairs. I'll go with Sammy and Hermione can go with Tura. Alright?"

"Sounds good Harry."

The next three hours were spent in hard labor working on converting the site to match the duel site. Harry originally thought that it would be a near impossible task, but the elves proved otherwise as they took to the challenge and seemed to revel in it. As noon approached, Besa went back to the manor early to prepare lunch and everyone else followed not long after. Just before taking his break, Harry looked around in shock at the changes that had already been wrought.

When lunch was served, both Harry and Hermione were adamant that all the elves had worked hard and should eat as well. They finally conceded, but only because it was a special day with the project. While they ate, plans were discussed for the next day and Hermione made a suggestion.

"I know we have lunch planned with our friends, but I think we need to call together everyone for dinner. I know it's tricky with everyone working, but this is too big. If they're planning on fighting, they need to be training as well."

Harry sighed and nodded. As the senior house in the alliance he knew it was time to assert his authority and pull his allies in. With that thought in mind, he finished lunch and went to the lord's office to draft letters to everyone regarding a mandatory dinner at the manor the following evening. While he was doing that, Hermione made a trip to Grimmauld and the elves went back to the mockup site to work on their tasks.

When Hermione arrived at Grimmauld, the floo announced her, but no one came to the sitting room to greet her. She could hear quite a loud discussion coming from the kitchen though and immediately went that direction. When she walked into the kitchen, the informal dining trestle table had been converted to a work table and was completely covered in supplies. Remus and Sirius were both hunched over, muttering and didn't notice her arrival so Hermione shuffled her feet and cleared her throat a bit to announce herself. Remus looked up first, nose twitching.

"Hi Hermione, the mirrors are coming along. The main issue is size and detail. And we haven't gotten to the potion work yet. How are things at the manor?"

"Quite well actually. Between Harry and the elves, I'm not really needed. The elves seem to really like the challenge. I actually didn't just come to nag you, Harry is sending letters to all the allies and I brought yours. Tomorrow night is a mandatory dinner. Lunch tomorrow will actually be most of the junior allies and you're welcome as well if you want, but most of the adults have work. After tomorrow night, we need to crack down on training."

"That makes sense. Even if it means clearing some calendars, there is nothing more important. Alright, let's show you what goes into the mirrors and you can help us. The size is really a pain, although I can understand why you want them smaller. First you start with high grade Czech crystal and back it with a thin sheet of pure titanium. We chose that due to me being part of the development. Silver obviously wouldn't work. You use a fusing spell and then etch runes through the crystal into the metal. Here's the sequence. You have to use a reflective sequence on the crystal side. As you can see, there's a lot of runes to fit on the edge and fitting them on a smaller mirror means making them smaller. It takes a lot of detail. Fusing the two materials takes time. We've got eleven total so far fused. Oh, and we added the runes for indestructibility and weatherproofing, those were a good idea, but it's still more to have to fit in a small space. Anyway, eleven are fused and ready for carving. Total that we've finished carving is nine. I'm working on a tenth. The final step to get them activated is a complex potion that is the final binder between the metal and crystal. Sirius was going to start that before he started carving another, but if you feel up to the task, you can start that and he can keep carving. You brewed polyjuice in your second year, so you should be able to handle this."

Remus handed Hermione a potion formula and Hermione looked it over. It was definitely complex and it would take six hours of brewing and curing time, so it was best to get started. She was sure she could handle it though.

"Alright, I'll work on this. Everything looks good, but one question. What about the being able to broadcast to everyone on the mirrors? My understanding was that you could only talk to one person at a time?"

"Yes. And we only had four mirrors originally. Making more than that has pushed the limits of what the original design was, but it should work. We added another sequence that should work to broadcast, but honestly there's no way to know until we have enough mirrors done to test. That was actually something that Lily had researched originally and we had notes on, so we weren't starting off from nothing, but it was never completed. Once we get a half dozen mirrors complete, we'll try. Of course, we may break them all and have to start over."

Hermione grimaced, but nodded. She only hoped that Harry's mum was as brilliant as everyone claimed she had been. With nothing else to be done, she turned her attention to the potion and left Sirius and Remus to their rune carving.

Meanwhile, back at the manor Harry and elves were busy terraforming a portion of the grounds to match the duel site. After lunch all the letters regarding dinner the following day had been sent off to his allies and Besa had taken a break from the project to go shopping for supplies. The work was tiring, but magic helped greatly and elf magic was quite amazing. By half past four in the afternoon Harry looked around and was amazed at the transformation. Then he hopped on his Firebolt and did a flyover. There may need to be a few tweaks, but he thought it was a decent mockup and decided to call it a day and head to Grimmauld and check on the mirror project. Landing his broom, he smiled at all his elves as they gathered around.

"Alright everyone, this looks great. Thank you all! This was a lot of hard work and I want you to take it easy for the rest of the day. We're going to have guests tomorrow and the next few days will be busy. Hermione and I will be here in the morning and then we'll have guests at lunch and even more guests at dinner. I appreciate greatly all your efforts today."

The elves were all grinning and looked quite pleased as they all popped back to the manor. Harry did the same and then caught the floo to Grimmauld. When he arrived, the usual chime sounded, but nobody came to greet him so he wandered out of the room and went looking for Hermione. He soon found her, Sirius, and Remus all hard at work in the kitchen. Hermione felt him coming well before he arrived in the room.

 _Hi love. We're coming along with the mirrors. They're hideously complicated though. Come on down to the kitchen, but be prepared for Sirius to grumble about the deadline._

Harry stepped into the room and surveyed what appeared to be the center of a cyclone. His godfather looked up at him and shook his head. Deciding to head for friendlier quarters, Harry made his way toward the hearth where Hermione was brewing. She had two large copper cauldrons over different levels of flame and a small golden cauldron cooling nearby. To the side sat a black marble cauldron that he assumed was the for the final mix. Shaking his head, he held back from embracing her, not wanting to disturb anything.

"Not to worry Harry, you picked a good time. I'm actually not stirring for another four minutes and I could use a hug."

Harry smiled, noticing that she had mentioned it out loud, while shooting a look at the disgruntled Lord Black across the way. He proceeded to sweep his wife up and kiss her soundly. When he set her back down, she proceeded to explain a bit of the potion she was making. As was obvious, it was terribly complex. And it was only one element to the mirrors. And she was making a double batch due to the quantity that they were trying for. He knew of course that he had asked for a lot, but it was necessary.

When Hermione had to return to her cauldrons, Harry stepped back and decided it was time to see what was going on with the main mirror assembly, even if it required facing an angry godfather. He turned to the table and began to assess the apparent chaos strewn across it. The primary elements appeared to be some kind of glass and metal, as well as a lot of runes. Looking closer, the runes being carved looked quite complex and very small. His request to make the mirrors smaller wouldn't have made things easier for sure. It looked like from a few almost finished pieces set to the side that it had been accomplished though. After he assessed everything, he figured it was time to break the silence.

"Wow, it looks like you've made really good progress. I do appreciate this on the tight timeline guys, I know I asked for a lot. It will make a big difference in the field though if we've all got these. I was going to see if I could help, but I have no idea what to do, so I tell you what. I'm going to go back home and let Neil and Jean know that they're on their own for dinner. Then I'm going to clean up since I've been mucking about in the fields most of the day. I'll come back in a while with whatever you want to eat and drink. You name it."

That perked up everyone and Sirius immediately lightened as Harry began taking orders. He figured that the Leaky could make everything that was requested and decided to stop there after the Grangers. He left the workshop a while later and apparated from the back garden. The Grangers weren't home yet, but by the time he got out of the shower they were just arriving, eager to hear updates on how the day had gone. They readily accepted the invite to dinner the next day at the manor and, when they heard that Harry and Hermione would be out that night, they decided to go out themselves.

Once the Grangers were updated, Harry apparated to the Leaky and ordered all the food that had been requested. Then he sat down to read a book and wait, enjoying a few minutes to relax during the busy day.

A bit over an hour after he had left Grimmauld, Harry returned just in time to watch as Hermione did the last combining of her potion. It then had to sit with an auto stir spoon in it for an hour and twenty five minutes, giving them plenty of time to eat. Since the kitchen had become a workshop, all the food was taken and spread out in the dining room. Harry and Hermione split steak and kidney and shepherd's pies, while Remus enjoyed a huge slab of rare steak with a pile of mashed potatoes. Sirius also got a steak, although a different cut and cooked a bit more, although he got his with Yorkshire pudding on the side. There was also chilled butterbeer and a specific brand of Scotch that was ordered at Sirius' specification. The end of the meal was capped with an apple tart topped with cream that hadn't been requested, but had been on the Leaky's menu for the night and Harry had added it. No one seemed to mind as the entire dish was cleaned out. By the end of the meal everyone was quite full and dispositions were significantly improved, Sirius' especially. And, while he had had a couple of glasses of scotch, it wasn't too much and hadn't affected him noticeably. It was a lesson that Harry filed away in regards to his godfather, always keep him well fed if you wanted Sirius Black to work well.

Harry proceeded with the cleanup while the others returned to the kitchen after dinner. He wasn't long in joining them after and sat back to watch the process to make the mirrors. Twenty minutes after he arrived, the potion was ready and there were a total of eighteen mirrors ready to be coated. Hermione carefully measured out the amount for each mirror and then took the first and carefully ladled the potion across the crystal surface, tilting it until the entire surface was covered in a thin film. Then Sirius touched his wand to one rune and spoke the activation phrase. The entire surface glowed and then settled as he set the mirror aside.

"Well, that should be it. Hard to know if it worked until we do more. Let's try two more and then we'll key the mirrors to three of us in the room and test them out. The potion is stable for a few hours, or we can put it in stasis for a few days."

Harry nodded, fine to watch, still amazed at the complex amount of magic that went into each small mirror. He watched over the next few minutes as two more mirrors were treated with the potion and activated. Once they had three new mirrors, Sirius then keyed one each to himself, Harry, and Hermione.

"Alright, moment of truth. Let's each try to call one another."

They went around the circle and let out cries of joy as each mirror worked in sequence. Remus, who was normally reserved, was also shouting joyfully. They had managed to recreate the work they had done seventeen years before with Lily's help!

While Sirius and Remus were hugging and dancing around though, Hermione was looking a bit more reserved. She still wondered if the additional runes would work. Harry heard her thoughts and gave her a nod and she spoke up, breaking through the happy celebration.

"Sirius, Remus, can we run the other tests now?"

The guys settled and saw the look on Hermione's face. Remus nodded and stepped over. He took a mirror and stepped to a far corner where he erected a shield to block the mirror from the rest of the room. Then he seemed to think for a minute and went and grabbed the other two linked mirrors and put them behind the shield as well.

"Just in case. I know we checked the formulas, but I still think this is risky."

He then reached past the shield and tapped the mirror, saying 'nuntius omnia'. Everyone gathered around and looked and sure enough, all three mirrors turned on, showing and image of the room. It appeared it had worked. Remus and Sirius both looked stunned. They had not expected the broadcast to work. Remus reached through the shield and canceled the spell, pulling the three mirrors out.

"Hmm, they feel a bit warm. Not something you would probably feel, but my heightened senses do. I wonder if it would be worse if we linked more mirrors or if we left them connected longer? We may need to test more. Anyway, we know it works. I guess the last part is to test the impervious rune. Sirius?"

"Damn, alright, you did the last test. Give it here."

Sirius took one of the mirrors, closed his eyes, and then drew back and threw it full force at the stone wall. The mirror appeared to bounce off. Harry went to go get it, checked it out, flipping it over, but it appeared intact. Another couple of tests indicated that it worked fine.

"And yet another testament to your mother's brilliant notes pup. Honestly, if she was still with us, we'd probably have these on the market and you'd be even more filthy rich. Anyway, we need to keep adding potion, plus see if we can carve a few more tonight."

The group worked through the night and ended up with twenty-two complete mirrors by the time they called it quits shortly after nine. There was still more potion, and under stasis it would last for twenty-four hours, so Sirius and Remus agreed to work through the next day. Harry promised to have Besa pop over with breakfast in the morning. He had learned his lesson about keeping them fed. Then they all said goodnight and he and Hermione apparated back to Grimmauld to get their rest for the next day.

Tuesday dawned a bit overcast, but Harry and Hermione were up early and down to have breakfast with the Grangers before heading to the manor shortly before eight. As soon as they arrived, Hermione went to the kitchen and packed a basket of food. She then floo'd to Grimmauld and was pleased to see that Sirius and Remus were both sort of awake. They happily accepted the food and then she popped back to the manor.

Once she was at the manor, she and Harry did some training and swam a few laps to get themselves energized for the day. Then he took her out to the mockup site to show her what he and the elves had done the day before. The tables with the pictures and drawings had been left out under stasis charms so that she could compare, but first they did a flyover. She was quite impressed and only had a couple of small suggestions, which were immediately implemented.

With everything looking good at the manor, they left to run their next critical errand, taking the floo to Diagon Alley. Once there they visited two different shops and purchased fourteen magical training dummies, the most they could get of the type they needed. They had decided to buy autonomous, open movement, rapid response dummies. They were expensive and buying them in bulk raised eyebrows, but they didn't care. Since they needed more, Hermione suggested a trip to Gringotts. That proved to be another brilliant idea, as Silverstaff was able to sell them a dozen slightly used dummies for a reasonable amount. By the time they were done, it was a quarter past 10:30 and they only had 26 of the 50 dummies that Harry had been hoping for. Desperate, they next floo'd to Hogsmeade. There they found three more dummies. Two more stops ins Tutshill and Wimbourne yielded another five and then they had to be back at the manor for lunch with their friends. Still, at least they had 34 dummies total.

Back at the manor, Harry handed off all their shrunken purchases to Giley and then went to the arrivals hall to wait with Hermione. Starting at 11:45 and spaced in two minute increments, the portkeys for their friends began arriving, depositing them in the main hall at Potter Manor. First to arrive was the largest group from the Burrow, including Ron, Ginny, the twins, and Blaise. Next came Luna, then Neville, and finally Susan. Hermione was just about to lead everyone to the back veranda when the arrival floo flared and Sirius and Remus stepped out.

"Hi. Glad you could make it. You look better than yesterday."

"Well, the mirrors are coming along. That elf of yours is a fantastic cook and we figured we should come see what was on order for lunch."

With that, the group all proceeded to the veranda and soon were served a lavish lunch spread by the elves. After everyone had a chance to get a bit of food, Harry decided to begin.

"So, I called you all here to get an advanced start before the rest of the allies come tonight. Sirius, Remus, Hermione, myself, and the DMLE have been working for the past couple of days to do the initial preparation for the duel. We have to assume that Voldemort has received the letter by now. We know the tracker stopped working late in the evening after everyone left the Grangers. Still, we got the two locations and Kingsley made a number of arrests, including getting our messenger back. Tonight he'll be here to tell us what else the DMLE knows. As for me, I spent most of yesterday working with the elves to modify a large chunk of the grounds here at the manor to replicate the duel site. This morning Hermione and I canvassed most of the country for dueling dummies that will work in the open field. We have thirty-four and we plan on starting training in the morning. Tomorrow is Wednesday and that only gives us five days to prepare until Monday. Once everyone is done eating, we'll all go out to the site and the first thing I want is all of your fresh eyes to take a look and let me know what you think of the mockup. Then I want ideas of strategies to give us an advantage on attacking. Kingsley has the duel site locked down and under surveillance, so we have the advantage as far as access right now. Sound alright? Does anyone else have plans for the next week?"

"Sure mate."

"No, no plans."

"Anyway, even if we did, this is kind of more important."

"Just a bit."

Murmurs of assent met Blaise's comment and everyone continued eating as the conversation moved to lighter topics for a few minutes. Soon the food dwindled and everyone was eager to see the work that Harry and the elves had done. Sirius and Remus though excused themselves back to Grimmauld to work on the mirrors, promising to be back that evening with everyone else.

Harry had warned his friends to bring brooms and a few had, while others didn't ride often enough, so couples started pairing off. Soon everyone was in air as Harry led. He knew he could have apparated, but he preferred an aerial approach. As they flew over the greenhouses, Harry swung over by Ginny's broom to talk to Neville.

"Take a look below Nev. Once we get rid of Voldemort I have another project. Those greenhouses haven't been touched in years. When I open them, I want you with me. I think it may be interesting to see what, if anything, is still living in them."

Neville tapped Ginny and whispered in her ear. She nodded and did a few circles down lower to look closer at the buildings in question before coming back to fly next to Harry so that Neville could talk to him.

"Definitely looks interesting Harry. My kind of project."

Neville was grinning, looking quite enthused and Harry had to chuckle. The idea of what might have gone rogue in the greenhouses made him queasy, but Neville was another matter. Oh well, everyone had their thing.

They flew for another couple of minutes until they reached the mockup area and Harry led everyone on a flying pattern of the area before then landing next to the tables that were still standing with all the pictures and charts. Everyone gathered around and began to compare the pictures to the actual site, looking around as they did. Finally, it was Susan who spoke up first.

"Well Harry, I'm impressed, you and the elves did quite amazing. I was especially worried about the rivers. Or creeks really, they don't have that much water. But you split your one into two nicely. I don't see any issues."

"No I agree. Now, I have an idea on strategy…"

The next couple of hours were spent talking about various strategies and formations. Many ideas were discarded, while others were taken and developed and improved. One that was suggested that everyone liked, if it was possible to get access to the site, was the idea of disillusioned platforms built in the trees where snipers could fire down from. That was added to the list of items to discuss with Kingsley.

After a good bit of time in discussion, the group split into pairs and Harry had the elves fetch some of the dummies, which were then positioned around the field as they began practicing some of their attack positions. After an hour of practice, getting used to the terrain, they called a halt for the day and flew back to the manor. The last couple of hours of the afternoon was spent in the games room unwinding and trying to be normal teenagers for however brief a period of time they could be.

As the evening approached six, Harry cleaned up and donned his more formal robes while Hermione left to floo back to her parents' home. Neil and Jean would be back from the practice and she was going to portkey them to the manor for dinner that evening. Everyone else's dinner invitations were their own portkeys. Promptly at six the portkeys began arriving in two minute intervals, delivering all of the House Potter allies for the semi-formal dinner that evening. Some had not seen the manor yet and Harry greeted them properly as Lord Potter, gathering them all in the entry hall. The elves were waiting to take cloaks and offer initial refreshments while everyone waited for the entire group to arrive. Once the last portkey had arrived, Harry took Hermione's arm and looked over his assembled guests.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice. We have much to discuss. First though, the Potter elves have prepared a wonderful meal and I am personally quite hungry. Please join me in the dining hall."

The group followed the lord and lady of the manor in an informal procession to the dining hall, which nonetheless had been outfitted lavishly for the meal. When the meal was served, everyone delighted in all the courses, especially the roast that was the best anyone could remember having tasted. Despite the heaviness of the pending meeting, the conversation at dinner remained lighter with discussion of family topics, including a number of interesting tidbits on various family histories. After taking a long hour to eat, the meal finally finished and Harry stood to once again address the group.

"Now then, please join me in the library. It has the room we need, as well as being a bit less formal."

Two minutes later the entire group was transferred to the spacious Potter library and arrayed on the assortment of leather couches and tufted chairs around the room. Once again, the lord of the manor led the discussion.

"Alright, we're all here to begin planning for the duel on Monday. I know many of you have jobs that keep you busy during the days. You may need to take some holiday time over the next days while we prepare. Myself, Hermione, and our friends have started some preparations here at the manor already. In addition, Sirius and Remus have also been working on a critical project. Also, I am sure that Kingsley has been busy at the DMLE and will be briefing us on what he can, but now we all need to come together. I won't ask anyone to fight who doesn't want to, but we need support positions as well, especially in healing. First, Sirius and Remus, why don't you show us what you've been working on."

The two men looked at each other, seeming to decide who was going to go first and Sirius as usual was the one to step up. He pulled a bag out of his pocket and enlarged it. From the bag he withdrew a number of mirrors.

"The task that Harry and Hermione set us on was communication mirrors. This was something that the Marauders had developed on a very limited basis after much work during our sixth year at school and with much help from Lily. I have to tell you that these were very complex and it was the work of many months to get four linked mirrors working. Well, Harry came to us and asked us to do it again in a week, but with as many as possible. He also wanted them smaller, impervious, and to have a broadcast feature if possible. Sure, no problem. He did offer to loan us his own brilliant witch to help with the task. And he sent us regular food and paid for all the supplies. So, we dusted off our notes and have been working nonstop. The basis for the mirrors are sandwiched layers of Czech crystal glass and titanium metal with etched runes. We originally chose titanium for the simple fact that we can't use silver due to having a werewolf on staff. Anyway, it polishes up nicely and conducts the runes quite well. Except that reducing the size by a third and adding the additional runes wasn't easy. I'm not getting any younger and my eyes certainly aren't. Anyway, Hermione helped with the potion that is used as the final step to coat these before they are charged. As of today we have thirty-two working. We had six that failed, but I think the percentage is decent. We've done some limited testing on the broadcast and they seem to heat up quite quickly. So I don't think we can use that feature for very long, maybe a quick emergency only. Something perhaps that we want to test more. Anyway, we have enough for the immediate allies at least."

As Sirius was talking, Remus went around the table and was passing out the mirrors. Everyone was examining them close, especially looking at the runework. It was quite impressive what they had managed. It was obvious now why they both looked tired. Once everyone had a mirror, Sirius proceeded with the instructions on how to key each mirror to an individual using the key rune at the top of each mirror. Then they went around the room a few times running some practice drills making calls on the mirrors. Everything worked as planned. It was agreed though that the broadcast feature would be tested later. Harry was grinning as everyone else looked amazed.

"Wow, these are great Sirius. I am thrilled with how many you got completed. I know how much work that was. This will be a definite advantage for home security, as well as coordinating people on the battlefield. I will already feel better knowing each of you can call for help if you need it. And we have a couple left that I think will be helpful for anyone who may want to stay behind to take care of the wounded, which is something else I wanted to discuss. First though, Kingsley, can you give us updates from the DMLE?"

"Sure. As expected, Voldemort has been sending scouts to the site. They've been funneled into the spot that we designated and we captured four medium level Death Eaters before turning off the funnel completely. He can still get in, but they have to walk in. The four were all secondary, set to report to inner circle, who then report to Voldemort. Still, it's a few less wands for him. They were able to confirm that the rank and file are gloating about how their master is going to annihilate Potter and how the Boy Who Lived is too full of himself. We also got a few details on potential numbers. We think with the short notice he can bring in about 120 maximum and a fair few of those aren't heavily trained. He has some giants, but they're too far away to make it in time. The only wolf pack that he has control over is Greyback's, but that is enough. The pack numbers about twenty. While deciding to make the duel happen quickly is pushing us to our limits, it is also bad for him as well and gives him less time to gather his resources, so it's a good and bad thing."

"Still, that's a lot more numbers than I thought he would have, even if they're not the best trained. How many will we have?"

"I'm trying to keep this quiet, but I'm pulling together about three quarters of my Auror squads, as well as a squad of hit wizards and Algie is giving us some Unspeakables. Auror squads are ten man groups and I'll have seven that I'm putting on isolation training starting tomorrow. Basically that means they are out of touch with their families and the public until action. I need somewhere to put them though. Harry, can we bunk them here? Even just cots."

"Sure Kingsley. I'll get the elves to start setting up. What about the hit wizards and Unspeakables?"

"The hit wizards are four man squads and I don't know when they will show. Hopefully tomorrow or the day after. The Unspeakables will appear in time for the battle, or sooner. They never tell anyone anything. That's how they earn their name. Algie promised me at least five people though and with the unusual weapons they have, they're worth at least double for each person they bring. They're difficult to deal with, but you take what you can get."

"Alright, so I tell the elves to prepare for 70-90 house guests over the next week. Everyone here is welcome to stay as you need. And everyone here has priority to get an actual bed versus a cot. The wards on the manor are green now and the grounds are yellow green so we're much more secure. And given the fact that we're about to turn into a barracks, even more so. Giley! Dobby! Besa!"

The elves popped in and waited in front of Harry for their orders.

"Hi guys. Things are going to be getting busy around here for the next week or so. We're going to have a large number of Aurors bunking with us. I need four bedrooms converted into dorms on the second floor…"

"Kingsley, any women among the Aurors?"

"Yes, a few. And one in the hit wizards."

"Alright. We need three large bunk rooms for the wizards and a medium size bunk room for the witches. I think we have some cots in storage. If we don't have enough, use the house funds to buy some. Put the beds in storage in the meantime. Make sure the women's bunk room has one of the en-suites. Also, I need all the other bedrooms upstairs ready for guests as my allies will be visiting regularly throughout the next week. We also may be taking in the injured after the battle. Besa, I'll be sending an owl to Gringotts to increase the house budget for the month. Please stock the kitchen with whatever you need. Ensure there is plenty of mead, ale, firewhiskey, and scotch as well please. Any questions, please ask me. Oh, and when everyone arrives, remember that you do not take abuse from anyone. Come to me if anyone tries to abuse you. Understand? Please pass that on to the other elves as well."

The three elves bobbed their heads and popped out to begin to start their tasks. Harry turned back to look at his allies and saw some appraising looks.

"What?"

"Nothing my lord, but my thanks."

 _My lord?_

 _Kingsley is just honoring you as he sees fit Harry. We all just watched you take another step into your role as lord of the manor. It was quite inspiring._

Harry shrugged and decided to move on.

"Alright, so we are looking at Voldemort having maybe 140 total fighters, not all trained very well. We will have maybe 100. We can count 80 well trained of that number?"

"Actually Harry, you should count the wolves as double numbers with their speed and fighting ability, as much as I hate to say it."

Harry looked at Remus and then around the room, stopping at Kingsley and Amelia, who nodded in agreement.

"Yes, Remus has the right idea. Werewolves are hell to fight. We should be glad that it looks like Voldemort hasn't managed to forge an overall vampire alliance yet. There's rumors that he has one or two rogues, but that's it. Anyway, we can probably figure that he has forty decent fighters, twenty hard core inner circle fighters that we really need to worry about, and then the twenty werewolves. Of the seventy Aurors, I say there are three squads that are hard core. The other forty are quite good. I'd put the hit wizards in the hard core as well. As for the Unspeakables, they're in another class."

"And then there's us. I mean we're good, but nowhere near Auror level, except maybe Harry and Hermione. Maybe put us about in the middle of the pack."

"Ronald, you can't be honestly thinking of fighting! I mean you can help Harry prepare, but that's it!"

"Mum, I am an ally and even more, he's my friend."

"Same here mum."

"Same goes for me gran, before you say anything."

As a number of arguments erupted around the room, Amelia decided that she needed to take control, even though she was scared and not exactly happy with Susan.

"Alright, I guess we need to discuss the dragon in the room. Obviously some of the parents and guardians didn't realize that their minors were planning on actual offensive fighting. Defensive if needed is one thing, offensive is different."

"Exactly."

"Look, my parents are in St. Mungo's because of these monsters. You can't expect me not to fight the people who put them there. I know what's at stake. Maybe it would be better if I had another year to grow up a bit, sure, but the time is now and I'm doing my best to be ready. Gran, don't deny me this honor."

"We've all been training. A lot more than a number of Voldemort's flunkies. Yes, there are risks. No, it won't be easy, but if we want a better future we need to do this. Don't lock us up just because a calendar says we're a few months shy of some magical marker."

Each of the parents and guardians around the room looked at their charges and indecision waged across each face. Kingsley decided to step in.

"How about we table these family decisions for the evening? Talk about them tonight at your homes. We need to finish with a few other decisions. In the meantime we'll plan on everyone continuing training here over the next couple of days, even if it's only in a support capacity. Alright?"

Everyone nodded, clearly still not happy, but willing to move on.

"So, the Aurors arrive tomorrow morning. Hit wizards probably will be in the afternoon, depending on when I can get them. Next, are we going to have a fall back area for the injured, or will they go straight to St. Mungo's?"

Hermione pondered and was the first to respond to Kingsley's question.

"I hadn't thought about that. I suppose triage prior to St. Mungo's would be advisable. That would lessen their burden. Harry, could we set up something here at the manor? Kingsley, could we get someone loaned to us to run the triage who could handle minor injuries and package up more severe injuries?"

"That's what I was thinking and we've done something similar on large operations in the past. I have contacts at St. Mungo's. No worries, they can keep it strictly confidential. I can get a junior Healer on loan starting on Sunday and sequester them here. We'll need supplies and you'll need to designate a room. Basically any injuries have a portkey that sends them to that one room. From there they are treated. If they're bad off, a second portkey sends them straight to St. Mungo's after initial treatment. Hopefully this is all over planning, but it needs to be done."

"Alright, that sounds fine. Hermione, any ideas?"

"The manor has a lot of extra space. There's the 'ladies' parlor' here on the first floor that is good size. It's clean, but hasn't even been used yet. If the furniture is moved out, it could hold ten beds easily."

"Alright, sure. Let's leave the elves working on the second floor for tomorrow, and then get them working on an infirmary. Kingsley, please have your contact give us a list of potential supplies that we might need. Another shopping list to be purchased before the weekend."

"Will do. Again, better to be over prepared. That covers everything I wanted to discuss. What else have you been working on Harry?"

"Well, while Sirius and Remus were busy with the mirrors, I was back here working with the elves. As you know, we had all the surveillance and pictures of the duel site and I used all of it with the help of the elves to create a mockup of the site. The manor grounds have a lot of unused land and I picked a piece of ground with some forest and a river, or large creek, that we split in two and we moved everything around to transform it as close as possible to resemble the duel site. Starting in the morning, I want to run drills. Hermione and I went around to a number of shops and bought up a bunch of training dummies. We ran a few drills this afternoon to start practicing. It's not perfect, but as near as I think it can be without going to the actual site."

"Wow, you have been busy. The Auror squads will definitely be interested to see that."

"Okay, that covers the main points I wanted to discuss for this evening. I wanted to start drills at nine tomorrow morning. Kingsley, can you have the Aurors ready by then? I can create portkeys before you leave tonight, one for each squad. Alright?"

"That should work. I still have to brief them though. Let's plan one more hour, so say ten. I'll be here with them in the morning and as much as I can throughout the week. I'll pop in and out."

"Sounds fine. What about everyone else? Obviously Amelia as Minister has pressing business. Sirius and Remus are going to work on getting us a few more mirrors. Ideally, the head of each squad should have one."

"I'll call in sick for the rest of the week, so I'll be here."

"Arthur!"

"Molly, we swore an alliance, this is too important. My decision for our house stands."

"Well, I'm a bit past my prime, but I'll be here to help train at least. And, it scares me, but I'll go ahead and approve Neville's participation now."

Harry gave a nod and brief smile for Augusta.

"Us as well. Lovegoods never back down from a fight. Anyway, the next Quibbler isn't due for over a week."

"I'll need to talk to Susan and Blaise since he is my ward. Blaise, please come home with us for tonight at least so we can talk. We'll have an answer in the morning."

"I understand. Thank you everyone. Let's plan on those who can meeting back here at nine in the morning fora a final discussion then prior to training. Aurors due to arrive an hour later. By that time I would like to have all of our positions and decisions firm among us allies before we bring in the outside parties. Understood?"

Harry stood and looked firmly around the room. Everyone gave various nods or noises of assents. Molly especially didn't look happy, but Lord Potter, the head of their alliance had spoken. It was time to close ranks and focus on Voldemort. As the group broke up and everyone left for their own homes, the discussions that evening would go late and at the Burrow especially would become quite heated as the everyone firmly refused to budge as the final confrontation drew ever nearer.


	31. Training

Chapter 31- Training

Wednesday dawned cloudy and the Potters were up early and downstairs to have breakfast with the Grangers at seven. Neil and Jean were off to the practice as usual, but the plan was to have their calendars clear for the following week. Both had medical training that could help with the triage of injuries at the manor on Monday. As for the days following, they were keeping them open just in case. As for the rest of the week leading up to the duel, there wasn't much they could do so they would continue to try to work, difficult though it was.

After breakfast, the Potters left for the manor and spent an hour relaxing in the gym and pool before cleaning up and preparing for the arrival of their allies at nine.

Just before nine, the floo started to activate and the manor began to fill as Susan and Blaise arrived first. Not surprisingly, they brought Amelia's regards, but the Minister had a full morning of meetings elsewhere. Next to arrive were Xeno and Luna, then Neville and Augusta. Finally, a full complement of Weasleys showed. Trailing at the end was an unhappy Molly Weasley. None of the clan looked very pleased. All looked like they had been through quite a battle already and Harry was glad that he hadn't been at the Burrow the night before or that morning. He stepped forward and greeted everyone.

"Good morning. Thanks for getting here promptly. The elves told me that they've taken all the training dummies out to the site already. Before we head out, I thought we'd talk briefly. Have all the families discussed if the junior allies will be taking part in the battle?"

Arthur stepped forward with a brief side glance at his wife.

"Yes Harry, we've been in long discussion on this. As head of our family, I've made the final decision to allow Ron and Ginny to train with you. It would be my preference that they take a 'sniper' role if possible during the actual battle. I know this is something that has only been initially discussed though. If the option isn't available, I would appreciate if they could be in one of the groups at the back of the battle. I will not stop them completely from participating though. This was the compromise that we reached. The others are of age, even if not by much in Fred and George's case, so the decision on their role is theirs."

Harry nodded in acceptance. That explained the reason for Molly's demeanor. Augusta and Xeno had already declared themselves the previous day, so he turned to look at Susan and Blaise.

"Aunt Amy talked to both of us quite a bit last night Harry. I'll be honest, I don't know how good I'd be in the front of a fight. Blaise is much better. Still, she asked that we be put in what she calls a reserve position with one of the secondary teams. I guess it's similar to what the Weasleys asked for. I hadn't thought about the sniper idea. I do like that idea. That may suit me better if its available."

"Alright, I understand Susan. We'll keep that in mind for all of you. We never did discuss the idea of sniper platforms with Kingsley last night. We'll make that a priority when we see him in an hour or so. As much as we've been training and as dedicated as you all are, I still prefer the idea of having all of you on a second team as well. You can still contribute, but we need to be smart about this. Voldemort's strategy in many cases is to throw away his lower ranking people that he doesn't care about. We don't have that luxury. We care about everyone, so we're going to fight smarter. So, shall we get out to the field and maybe start warming up?"

Everyone agreed and the entire group apparated out to the site with the help of the elves. The next forty-five minutes was spent with some basic drills. Then Harry's alarm announced it was almost time for the first of Kingsley's portkeys to begin arriving. Harry apparated back to the manor and cleaned up quickly. Dobby handed him his lord's robe and Hermione also was handed her lady's robe. When the first of the Aurors arrived, they were surprised to find their destination was Potter Manor and they were being greeted by the young lord.

"Welcome Director Shacklebolt. We have two more portkeys yet to arrive, so can you please step to the left. Thank you."

Within the next five minutes, the entry hall of the manor was full of seven Auror squads, as well as Kingsley and the Potters. Harry stood at the front of the hall and now addressed all the squads.

"Now that you are all here, I bid you all welcome to Potter Manor. I am Lord Harry James Potter and this is my lady Hermione. Director Shacklebolt will give you more details on your assignment shortly, but I can tell you that you will be our guests for the next few days while you prepare for your duties. We have eight elves here to assist as well. We hope that you will be comfortable and your needs will be met. Please be courteous when dealing with the elves. If you need anything, please ask. Your lodging will be one floor up and will be shown to you this evening. Now, this hall is a bit crowded with all of us. Director Shacklebolt, might I suggest that we all adjourn to the back veranda and you can detail everyone further?"

"I agree Lord Potter. Squads, position right, follow me…"

Harry stepped aside and Kingsley led the seventy Aurors out through the manor to the back veranda. There were a lot of curious faces, but the group were professionals and followed in formation. Harry and Hermione followed alongside Kingsley and their friends followed behind the Aurors, who glanced with curiosity at the young stragglers, but did not voice any questions.

Once everyone reached the veranda, the Aurors lined up in their squads and Kingsley began his briefing. He detailed them on the upcoming duel and battle the following Monday and Harry's primary role. Despite their professionalism, many did not hide their shock as they briefly switched their focus to Harry. Then Kingsley explained why they were in seclusion and about the mockup site that had been arranged for their training. As he continued, some of his details got a bit technical, but the squads all understood and Harry felt reassured as he watched the men and women grow even more hardened and focused as Kingsley continued. Then the subject of the mirrors came up.

"…Finally Lord Potter and his allies have been working on a unique tool for us. Right now we only have enough for squad commanders and their seconds, but more are being produced as we speak. They need to be keyed to each individual and you will need to know who you are calling, so we will use last names as we usually use. There is a broadcast feature, but it is new and untested. The mirrors have unbreakable charms, but we should try to attach them to our uniforms for ease of use. I was thinking last night that a sticking charm might work."

Kingsley turned to Harry and Hermione at this point to consult.

"The mirrors are such a new development that we haven't really worked with them, I tried something last night though and I was able to stick mine to my shoulder and tap it with my chin to activate it. That would keep our hands free."

"Sounds good Director, that's what these training days are about. We need to work together to develop plans to see what will work."

One of the squad leaders stepped forward at that point and was obviously waiting to be called on.

"Yes Roberts?"

"Since we're all brainstorming sir, I like the idea of having my hands free, but a sticking charm can be nullified easily by stray spells. Then the mirror will just fall off."

Kingsley scowled and nodded. Roberts had a point. Then Hermione lit up with an idea.

"I think I may know something. Keep talking, I'll be back in a few!"

Hermione then apparated away, leaving Kingsley shaking his head and Harry smirking. Kingsley took control again as he addressed the squads.

"And this is something else you need to know about this training. Yes, we will be practicing for the battle, but all ideas are welcome. Something a bit nontraditional may be what turns the tide. As Lord Potter says, a bit of common sense on occasion. I'm not saying to interrupt a drill, but when the time is right, please make your suggestions and they will be considered."

At this point Susan stepped forward and Kingsley nodded for her to speak up.

"There is one suggestion that the allies who were practicing yesterday afternoon thought of, but forgot to mention yesterday at dinner. You'll see when we go to the site shortly, but there are a number of trees around the perimeter. Since we have access to the site, we were wondering if it would be possible beforehand to set up disillusioned sniper platforms. Some of the younger allies would like to man those platforms. It would also resolve some of the family conflicts from yesterday's discussions."

"Hmm, an interesting option. We'll certainly look at the possibility Susan. Squads, so that you know who all these young people are, they are classmates and allies of Lord and Lady Potter. They are privy to all and more information about this operation than you have. They have been receiving additional defense training with Auror Tonks above their usual DADA training and they will be training with you over the next days. Their final participation level in the battle will be determined in the next day or two. You are to treat them with the same level of respect that you would Junior Aurors. Harassment will not be tolerated. Remember, as allies, they are under the protection of House Potter."

As Kingsley was finishing, Hermione arrived back, flushed and a bit breathless with a small package in her hand. He turned to her and nodded.

"Alright, I think I have the solution for the mirrors. I like the idea of sticking them to the shoulders of your robes where you can just tap them with your chin to activate and keep your hands free. The issue is keeping them attached with spells flying. I found a solution with something from my non-magical background. These are called Velcro strips. I don't have enough for everyone right now. I just went to my parents' home and grabbed what they had, but I can go to a store shortly and get more. This stuff is inexpensive and available readily. It has an adhesive back and then these two sides that have a fuzzy side and then a rough side with tiny hooks and eyes that loop together. Kind of like when you get burrs caught in your clothes. Here, I'll pass them around. Anyway, you just cut a piece of it and use it to stick one side to your robes and the other to the mirror. In between, you can undo the Velcro. Auror Roberts, would you mind if I tried with you first?"

Auror Roberts was the leader of the second squad and stepped forward gamely as Hermione showed him the Velcro strips. He was a halfblood, but had been raised mostly magical. He was intrigued by the strips. Meanwhile, to his side, Kingsley was playing with a strip like he'd been handed a new toy. Hermione worked with Roberts for a minute to get the positioning where he wanted it. Soon she had the mirror stuck to his robes and keyed to him. She then used her own mirror and they tested calling each other. He was able to activate his mirror with a chin tap and the mirror didn't shift at all with the Velcro. He was grinning at the end, as was Kingsley.

"Brilliant Herm…um Lady Potter."

"It's fine Kingsley. Look everyone. We're not formal around here. Treat everyone with respect and we're fine with first names. So, it looks like we need more Velcro. I'll go run that errand while Harry takes everyone to the mockup site"

With the squads all in formation they all mounted their brooms and followed Harry as he led them to the mockup site. Kingsley was flying by Harry and the allies were flying with the second and third squads. When they reached the site, they flew two passes to get an overview before landing. Once there, Harry landed by the table with all the reconnaissance pictures and data.

"Alright, you've seen the site now. Here on the tables is the actual site of the battle that we did our best to simulate. If anyone sees any major deviations, please let us know. The elves are quite good at helping to move things around."

Kingsley nodded and thanked Harry then he took over and began to split the squads, starting to put them in what were standard practice formations as he spread them over the site. Squads four and six were fall back lesser skilled squads and he placed the allies with those squads. In each squad, all the allies, as well as squad leaders and seconds had mirrors. Harry was placed up front with the first squad, although it was acknowledged that he would be out of the main battle since he would be dueling Voldemort. Arthur and Augusta had remained largely quiet, but now Kingsley took them to look at the feasibility of the sniper platform option, scoping out the trees that were around the perimeter of the dueling site. The other two adult allies, Molly and Xeno meanwhile stayed within their squads. Molly still didn't look happy, but Harry was actually rather surprised to see her focused and taking direction from the squad leader. She was quite a powerful witch.

Once all the squads had begun drilling, Kingsley pulled Harry aside to talk quietly by some trees.

"Harry, I wanted to talk to you about the rest of the Order. I know we only touched on it briefly last night. I sent an owl to Albus and asked for him to contact me when he returned from the continent. I let him know it was most urgent and even told him to please try to return by the weekend at the latest. As it turns out, he was already back. He arrived yesterday. Apparently the ICW finished early. I guess some of the members were more interested in starting their vacations. I wish we had such trivial concerns. Anyway, I'm going to meet with him later today. I know we agreed that we need him on Monday. Have you decided whether you will allow him to train here?"

Harry sighed. He was still a mixture of emotions on this. He wasn't comfortable with the old man and all the decisions he had made. Still, Dumbledore was the only wizard that Voldemort feared.

"Yes Kingsley, Hermione and I are in agreement. The Order is welcome to train here, but if they stay overnight, we don't have enough room for individual quarters. They will have to bunk with the Aurors. And I want to have a talk with Dumbledore beforehand. I want him to understand that he is a squad leader at best here. You outrank him, as do I as lord of the manor. I will dismiss him from my lands if I am unhappy with him for any reason."

"Understood. I will let him know when we talk. I expect that he won't be happy when I tell him the plans, but I hope to have him with me in the morning."

Harry nodded and they returned to training.

For the next hour the squads all worked on their basic drills, using the dummies to practice maneuvering around the field using the natural landscape to dodge and cover, while firing off a series of basic spells at the dummies. Each squad had a sector of space they were given to cover, with a slight overlap with neighboring squads. About forty minutes into the first drills, Hermione arrived back at the manor and announced herself to Harry.

 _I'm back with all the Velcro from two hardware stores Harry._

 _Sounds good. Why don't you wait for a few and let us finish this drill sequence. I think it's almost done. I'll let you know when to apparate over. I don't want you coming into the middle of this._

 _Sounds fine._

Twenty minutes later Kingsley called a break and Harry gave Hermione the all clear. As Kingsley called the squads forward to discuss the first drills, she apparated in to join them, surprising him just a bit.

"Hello Hermione. Excellent timing. Do you have the sticky strips, um Vem…um…"

"Velcro. Yes, I bought out two stores worth. Should we go ahead now?"

"Yes. You should be able to do that while we talk. Everyone with a mirror step forward. Now, the drills are going well. Any ideas for improvements? I do think we'll move forward with the sniper platforms. We still have the site under surveillance and should be able to get in discreetly and install the platforms since we have primary control of the location. Thoughts?"

The squads circled around, maintaining their formations but arranged around Kingsley as everyone adjusted to this new way of training as the discussion moved forward. Harry helped Hermione as everyone with mirrors lined up and the Velcro was quickly applied. He did his best to not smirk at how amazed some of the elite Aurors were at the amazing muggle invention that even small non-magical children were familiar with. Soon the mirrors were in place and the discussions had led to the next exercise as the squads split up and began to face off into active dueling. Meanwhile, Kingsley turned to Blaise and Susan.

"Would you two mind working on the supplies for the platforms? We have a rough sketch. They need to be sturdy, but not complex. Since you both expressed an interest in using them, I thought you might be interested in procuring the materials."

"Sure. I actually worked on a building project with my uncle a couple of summers ago so I have an idea of where to go."

"And I'm covering the cost guys. Will 500 galleons be enough?"

"Um yeah, sure Harry, more than enough."

Harry called for some elves and he went with his friends back to the manor. He gave them the funds, as well as creating a portkey that could be activated to transport the materials. Then Blaise and Susan floo'd from the manor and Harry returned back to the training site to watch the Aurors before resuming his own singular training. As the Aurors progressed, Kingsley stepped aside for a half hour and worked with Harry until lunchtime.

When Besa rang the lunch bell, Kingsley called a halt and then had all the squads jog back to the manor rather than apparating, as part of a cool down exercise. When they arrived back, they found that the elves had been busy and had laid out several long picnic tables in the back garden. Also in attendance were Remus and Sirius, who brought another fourteen completed mirrors. They came for lunch and decided to stay for the afternoon training, which everyone was in agreement on. Lunch went a bit long, but it gave everyone a chance to get to know each other a bit more and all the food was excellent.

Thankfully, Blaise and Susan arrived back before the end of lunch and managed to catch the end of the meal. They had secured all the building supplies, which arrived on a pallet via portkey at the designated spot in the side yard where Harry had keyed the portkey too. Since Kingsley was finished eating he went to inspect the materials and seemed satisfied. Harry promised to get the elves busy on that project later that afternoon.

As lunch finished, Kingsley stood and addressed all the squads.

"Alright everyone, lunch was good, but it's about time to get back at it. I wish I could stay, but I need to check in back at the office and make sure they aren't falling apart there. I'm leaving Williamson in charge while I'm gone. We've got the outline for our drills for the rest of the day. I'm hoping to be back by four, five at the latest. Keep up the good work."

Kingsley left then and a few minutes later Auror Williamson, the lead of squad one, led all the squads on a run back out to the site. Although Harry could tell that all his friends were fatigued, none of them complained and they all followed along, even if they did lag at the tail end of the group.

Once they were back at the site, the Aurors continued with their practice drills with the junior allies joining squads four and six. Harry's first task was to call six of his elves and get them working on the four sniper platforms. The trees had been identified earlier with Kingsley and a basic plan had been drawn up. Once the elves saw what was needed, they took to the task quickly and Harry soon wasn't needed. He decided to join his allies, including Sirius and Remus, in squad four and practice the rest of the drills. He knew that he wouldn't be in the main battle fray, but they were running high impact drills that he knew would still be good. He had plans for the following days, but for this first day he wanted to get familiar with the squads.

The rest of the afternoon was much same until Williamson called a halt as the sun finally started to lower on the horizon.

"All squads stand down! Report front and center!"

All the squads appeared in formation and Harry as well as the rest of the rest of the allies placed themselves at the end of lines with the squads they had been drilling with. Harry was quite tired and he could feel Hermione's fatigue as well. If he had looked at his allies, he would have seen a couple that were about to drop. Williamson's bark soon brought his attention forward.

"Alright, I'm calling a halt for the day. It's ten after 1700. Obviously the director got tied up at the office. I expect that we'll see him before long. Let's get cleaned up. Lord Potter, when should we expect dinner and what should we do with ourselves?"

Harry stepped forward and stood by Williamson.

"Please, just Harry like you have been through the afternoon. Dinner will be at 6:30. I know while you are sequestered that the director has you all on individual anti-apparition wards, so I guess a warm down jog back to the manor like we did at lunch. Once we're there, we'll do a bit of a tour. There are rooms I had converted to dorms for you on the second floor. The basement has training rooms, a gym, sauna, baths and a pool that you are all welcome to use. The main floor has game rooms and a library. You are welcome to utilize it all in the evenings. I know we're all under a lot of stress, so we need to use what downtime we have to relax a little."

Williamson nodded and took over.

"Excellent, thank you Harry. Well then, form up and let's get moving back to the manor."

The squads followed in lines as the warm down jog began back to the manor. As they began though, a few of the allies fell back, including Molly and Augusta. Harry turned to watch them and then he saw them disappear as they decided to apparate to the manor. Oh well, they had done the same at lunch as well. He knew some of his older allies didn't have the same stamina as everyone else. It wasn't like he could expect a lot in just a few days.

Once everyone was back at the manor, Harry and Giley saw to the tour, starting in the basement and working up. Everyone seemed quite appreciative of the facilities offered and the tour was just starting up to the second floor when Kingsley arrived. He was looking a bit harried, but everyone understood that he had a lot of demands on himself. He followed along for the rest of the tour. Once it was complete, everyone was assigned a room and then the each person left to cleanup and prepare for dinner.

Dinner that night was eaten informally in the formal dining hall, almost filling it to capacity. The long table that was meant for grand dinners and had seemed overly ostentatious when Harry had first seen it now came in handy with the manor full of seven squads of Aurors, as well as all of the House Potter allies, including those who had arrived just for dinner. Mead, ale, and wine were all served generously with the plentiful food and the day's training was discussed at length, with the room not emptying until nearly eight that night.

Once dinner was complete, smaller groups dispersed around the manor to enjoy their evening. Harry went to one of the game rooms where he was soon embroiled in a fierce game of darts that he was only moderately decent at. Across the room an intense round of billiards and a couple of tables of card games were also ongoing. Hermione meanwhile retreated to the library. Although she intended to read a book on Runes, she soon found herself in a pleasant discussion with several Aurors on some advanced charms work that they were implementing for some of their armor. Susan also joined them and the evening passed pleasantly. Around the manor, all of the allies and Aurors found themselves getting to know each other in a more relaxed environment throughout the evening. Even the Aurors who hadn't been too pleased with the addition of the younger allies, began to soften a bit toward them.

Around ten the different squad leaders and seconds began to make rounds through the manor and gradually start to suggest that it was time to call it a night. By half past everyone was making their way to their makeshift dorms. As for the allies, the Weasleys were staying at the Burrow and the Grangers went home, but everyone else found rooms at the manor, with the adults all managing private space. Even Amelia, who surprised all the Aurors, who hadn't expected to see the Minister in such an informal environment. The manor was near full capacity, but the elves seemed happy and Harry felt that the manor itself even hummed with contentment, almost as if the imbued magic was happy to be full of life again.

Thursday morning saw everyone up at seven, with all of the Aurors on the back veranda for an early morning workout before breakfast. All the allies who had stayed at the manor joined as well. The Weasleys arrived at a quarter past, none too awake, but joining in nonetheless. Kingsley saw to the beginning of the exercises and then left with a portkey that Harry had created, on his way to meet with Dumbledore and a group of other Order members.

Fifteen minutes after leaving, Kingsley, Dumbledore, and seven additional Order of the Phoenix members arrived at Potter Manor via portkey and Harry and Hermione were waiting to greet them.

"Good morning everyone. Welcome to Potter Manor. I am Lord Harry Potter and this is my wife Lady Hermione. Breakfast is about to be served. We can talk more as we eat. Due to the numbers staying at the manor and thanks to good weather, we are eating on the back veranda. Please follow me."

Everyone followed Harry and were soon seated as the elves served breakfast and Kingsley addressed the squads with the plans for the day. Key among those would be the arrival of twenty hit wizards, more than had initially been planned. They would be joining squads one and three and the drills were being adjusted accordingly. Also, the sniper platforms had been completed by the elves and practice would begin with them first thing that morning.

With the plans for the morning in place breakfast soon wrapped up just as the Harry's alarm sounded to announce the incoming portkey for the hit wizards. He and Hermione left their table, along with Kingsley and the Order members who had yet to be briefed. Harry had offered them the opportunity to join for his welcome speech, which they accepted. Moments later, the first of two portkeys deposited ten hit wizards. Kingsley gave them an initial welcome and then they stepped aside as the second portkey next arrived. Once all were in place and waiting for orders from Kingsley, Harry stepped forward with Hermione at his side. Most obviously recognized him and he found it interesting that they didn't show the same rigidity and decorum as the Aurors.

"Welcome everyone to Potter Manor. I understand that you've been told you are on assignment for the next week. This will be the location where you will be training. There are already seven squads of Aurors in place that arrived yesterday. Director Shacklebolt will give you more specific details, but the basics are this. Most of you are aware of my history with Lord Voldemort. I have faced him more times than I care to count. Well, I have decided it is time to finish this and have challenged him to a duel. I am the last heir of Gryffindor and he is the last heir of Slytherin, so the duel is under the ancient rules. The duel will happen next Monday at noon. The site has been chosen at an ancient location and we have a mockup of the site here on my lands that we are using to train. Although I have to face him one on one, he will be bringing his Death Eaters and I will have support around me as well. That is where you, the Aurors, and my allies come in. So, until Monday, you are guests of mine here to train and prepare. You will be staying in rooms with the Aurors on the second floor. There are eight house elves who take care of the manor. All I ask while you are my guests is that you treat the elves and everyone else with respect."

Harry stepped back and let Kingsley take over again he led the group to the back veranda and Harry followed. Once they arrived, he divided the hit wizards into the squads they were going to be placed with. Then the squads began to form up for their morning run back out to the mockup site. That left the Order members, who Dumbledore then divided up into squads as well. Dumbledore himself was not yet in a squad and Kingsley suggested he go with squad one. Before they began, Harry decided it was time for a talk with Dumbledore and took him back inside to a nearby parlor.

"Yes Harry, was there something specific with your training you wished to address with me?"

"Not right now. There may be in the future, but I will ask for specifics if and when I want them. I know Kingsley talked to you, but are we clear on your role here?"

Dumbledore sighed a bit at Harry's caustic attitude toward him.

"Yes, Kingsley told me that you were quite wary about allowing me to come and train here. I am grateful that you have overcome any doubts. I do not know that this duel was the best course of action, but what is done is done. I really do want to see an end to the war."

"If that is true, then we will have no issues. Just remember, I may be young, but I am the lord of the manor. I also called this duel and it is mine to fight. I will let you know if and when I need specific assistance from you. Otherwise, I will view you and the other Order members as additional fighters in the Auror squads, similar to my own allies. We only have a couple of days. Let's work together."

Dumbledore gave a nod, although his twinkle was gone.

The rest of the morning continued with similar drills as to what was run from the day before. The one major addition was that the sniper platforms were all in place and heavily utilized. They could hold three people easily, placed in a triangle positioning on the platform. There were a few problems with the charms on the platforms though and when everyone broke for lunch a group of allies, a few Aurors, Dumbledore, and McGonagall all gathered at the end of one of the lunch tables to brainstorm the issue. The solution that was decided on was a sequence of runes that were to be carved into conductive plates that would be bolted to the boards of the platform since wood itself was a poor conductor. There was extra material left from the mirror production at Grimmauld and Dumbledore surprisingly volunteered to go with Remus to make the plates an afternoon project.

With Dumbledore and Remus off on their project, Kingsley also had to leave to see to other department business for the afternoon, once again delegating control of the squads. Everyone else though continued with training through the afternoon, although some of the older allies did stay at the manor for a while after lunch. Harry noticed that they were fatiguing a bit and decided to not make an issue of it. In truth he knew that the actual battle would not last for eight to ten hours of the day like they were training and that level of stamina would not be needed. Amelia had also had to leave mid-morning, but did join the training again around three in the afternoon after she was able to separate from her other Ministerial duties.

Around four in the afternoon, Dumbledore and Remus reappeared with the metal plates for all four sniper platforms and the junior allies all assisted with bolting them onto the forward edges of the platforms before then excitedly beginning to test the new rune sequences. The plates worked brilliantly, providing a disillusionment sequence that was not cancelled out by stray spellfire and that actually absorbed spells up to a certain level. There were also runes that provide a low force field effect that helped to provide a barrier to prevent falls in cases when a sniper might be distracted and not watching where they were stepping, something that had already happened twice. Everyone knew that the protections offered by the runes weren't perfect, but combined with the active defensive spells cast by the snipers on the platforms it was another layer of protection. Plus the disillusionment was the most critical.

With the platforms working well and the drills having gone well with all the different forces in place (minus Unspeakables), Thursday soon drew to a close and everyone was back at the manor to once again relax and informally bond a bit more as a group. Most of the Order members decided to stay, although Dumbledore left after dinner. Once again Harry and Hermione made a point as the lord and lady of the manor to rotate around to different groups throughout the evening and try to get to know different people better, especially the new arrivals.

Friday saw much the same activities as Thursday for most of those who were training. For Harry though he decided to set aside his feelings about Dumbledore and use the resources at his disposal. He couldn't deny the wealth of knowledge that Dumbledore could offer, so when he arrived on Friday morning as breakfast was wrapping up, Harry took him aside.

"Albus, I was hoping you could help me today. Training with the squads won't help me as much. I need to practice one on one dueling for Voldemort. Would you mind working with me in the basement training rooms?"

"Of course not Harry. A capital idea. I think that would be an ideal use of time for both of us. Please, lead on."

 _Hermione, he agreed. I'll see you at lunch._

 _Take care love._

Harry and Dumbledore spent the rest of the day in the basement training rooms and within the first half hour, Harry knew his decision was the right one. He may have many doubts about the old man's decisions of the past, but his knowledge was vast. He also had a surprising stamina for a man his age. They took a break to eat lunch with the rest of the group and then retreated back to the basement training room in the afternoon. When they did, Kingsley, Sirius, and Remus joined them to assist with Harry's training.

While Friday's training for the squads proceeded much the same, adjustments were made in regards to the sniper platforms. Now that they were working well at the mockup site everyone felt it was important to see how they actually fit in trees at the duel site. So, after a couple of hours of training in the morning, three squads of Aurors were sent on a practice reconnaissance to the site. Kingsley had maintained discreet surveillance and no Death Eaters had appeared in several days, but nonetheless everyone exercised caution.

The three squads arrived at the site at 1100 hours and quickly scouted the location, which was quite familiar after their work at the mockup location. They found four trees in the identical locations and then called a fourth squad in via mirror communication. The platforms had all been packed by the elves, who had instructed squad four on how to quickly break down and reassemble them with a few spells. The squad arrived and spread out to the four trees. Each group within the squad was disillusioned and then enlarged their package to begin assembly of their platforms within the actual trees where they would be placed in three days time. The one issue was that no trees were identical and branches all differed a bit. Each team had to adjust their platforms, as well as maneuver a few branches around. The total setup time took longer than was hoped, but the platforms did get set and were tested for stability in the trees. Auror Timmins, leader of squad 3, was smart and had brought a camera, which he quickly took pictures of each setup with.

Once each setup was complete, a quick call on the mirrors back to Kingsley started a second phase that had not been originally planned as all the platforms were broken down, shrunken back into their packages, and then brought out and reassembled now that they were fit to the trees at the actual site. This time the assembly was timed and the results were much better. Throughout both stages, squads 1-3 were spread out and maintaining full security, but only a stray sheep wandered by. Finally with the tests complete, all four squads portkeyed back to the manor and the tests were complete.

That afternoon the pictures were developed and the trees at the mockup site were adjusted to match the trees at the duel site precisely. By Saturday morning when the platforms were unpacked again, their modifications fit the trees at the mockup site the same as they did at the duel site and the sniper drills continued the same as the training drills did for everyone else.

Throughout the weekend the schedule remained much the same with the drills ongoing with the seven squads of Aurors, twenty hit wizards, all the allies, Dumbledore, and the Order members.

On Saturday Kingsley finally had confirmation from St. Mungo's that a junior healer would be loaned for his 'special operation' at an 'undisclosed location'. The elves had cleared out the unused ladies' parlor on the first floor and ten cots had been arranged in the room instead. It was a bit tight, but it fit. The room was a good choice, as there was also a connecting loo next door. The hospital also provided a list of recommended supplies and Hermione and Susan went shopping on Saturday afternoon to secure the full list. When they returned, Neil and Jean were waiting and helped to set up the triage area with their medical knowledge, with Hermione to assist with her knowledge of magical potions. Later in the afternoon Harry stopped in the doorway to look in and shuddered a bit. He knew it was good to be prepared, but he hated the idea of having a hospital in his home.

Saturday also saw Harry continuing his training with Dumbledore, Kingsley, Sirius, and Remus. Also, after lunch, the squad leaders and Harry's allies all stopped to watch some of the training sessions after having heard rumors of the work that Dumbledore and Harry were going through.

Saturday evening then brought the arrival of an owl for Kingsley, who was now staying at the manor permanently until the duel was over. It was just after dinner and Kingsley looked unusually happy when the owl arrived just as the table was being cleared. He saw everyone looking at him curiously as he folded the note.

"Good news! Croaker finally is talking. The Unspeakables are committing themselves starting tomorrow. They won't stay, but they want to be in on the training. Croaker wants to meet with me in an hour to get the portkey for 0900 tomorrow morning. He's sending eight men."

"Wow, eight. That's more than you anticipated."

"Yes. Eight Unspeakables is nothing to sneer at. Now this doesn't mean they'll be training with us, just that they want to see what we have planned. Still, it's communication, which is something."

"Alright, let me make you a portkey. That will put them here at the same time as the healer tomorrow."

Harry got up and went to his lord's office with Kingsley following. The portkey was made quickly and then Kingsley left, leaving Harry with his thoughts for a few minutes. His grandfather looked down from his portrait.

"Seems that things are moving apace with your plans grandson."

"Yes. A couple of days and the fate of our world may very well be decided. I've got a lot of help, but I have to face Voldemort myself. At least if there's anything to the prophecy. I guess we'll see before long. And now that I've bonded with Hermione, her life rests with mine."

"Have faith young Harry. Already from what I've seen you've shown remarkable fortitude and intelligence for one so young. I may be just an echo of your grandfather, but I am certain that you will persevere successfully."

Harry sighed and gave a bare nod. He was trying to remain positive and project that same attitude for those around him, but in quiet moments alone it was hard. Then he felt the mental touch of his wife soothing him and a moment later she appeared physically in the office. She didn't say anything, but she came around and placed her hands on his shoulders. The touch was comforting and he pulled her around to sit in his lap. They may be always linked, but there was nothing like physically holding her in his arms. They stayed wrapped up together, completely linked for many long minutes. Then Harry made the large effort to mentally pull himself up and leave his office to go play billiards with some of the Aurors. The days spent training were important, but the nights spent getting to know some of the men and women who would be risking their lives were equally important to him.

Sunday morning brought some breaks to the usual schedules of exercises, breakfast, and training. Both the Unspeakables, as well as the Healer Reagan from St. Mungo's arrived. The Healer was a young 24, newly qualified and a bit unsure about the unusual assignment he had been given. Kingsley had briefed him before his arrival and he quickly settled in, making himself welcome in no small part because he was half-blood and treated the Grangers well. He was pleased with the infirmary setup and quite surprised at the amount of stock on hand. He spent the first hours of the morning familiarizing himself with everything and setting a few things to his own specifics before taking an hour to watch some of the training that was happening.

As for the Unspeakables, they were another matter altogether. They arrived wearing robes and masks that made their faces appear uniformly white and blank. The look was disconcerting, but worse was the monotone in which they spoke as their voices were disguised. They were meant to be completely unrecognizable. While it was understandable, it took some getting used to. They arrived with their portkey and Harry welcomed them, but they didn't even allow him to show them the manor, immediately showing themselves to the back veranda and inserting themselves into squad 1 before ordering Williamson to show them what they had been training on. To Williamson's credit, he didn't flinch and led the squads out for the morning training.

Disconcerted by the latest arrivals, Harry continued his own training with Dumbledore and decided to let Kingsley handle the Unspeakables. He knew the plan was to continue heavy drills through the morning. In actuality, training continued until 1300 hours. At that point, the Unspeakables declared themselves satisfied and left, promising to be at the duel site on Monday morning. At that point Kingsley called everyone else together, including calling Harry on his mirror and having him and the others training back at the house join the squads at the mockup site. Once everyone was together, he addressed the group.

"Alright everyone, we're about an hour past lunch. We've had a long, but very productive morning. I know the Unspeakables aren't the easiest to work with, but we need everyone we can get. These last few days have been intense. Especially for those civilians that have been training with us. Even for the Aurors, you probably haven't trained like this since training camp. I don't think at this point that working you into the ground will benefit anyone. We have just under 24 hours until we face off with Voldemort and his forces. I want us all to rest up and prepare. Any injuries, please see Healer Reagan now that he's here. I know we've been patching minor scrapes ourselves, but we've got a professional here now. I want us all one hundred percent for tomorrow. Any questions or concerns, please feel free to talk to me or anyone else. I'm proud of everyone. Now, let's go eat!"

There was a cheer from the crowd and everyone began to walk back to the manor instead of jogging. It was still some good exercise and a good warm down, but without the intensity that the group had endured for the last days. Lunch was also mellower as everyone began to relax and Harry knew that Kingsley had been correct to give the group the half day off. When he had initially suggested it, Harry had been hesitant, wanting to use every available minute to train. Kingsley though was a professional and he knew the squads needed downtime as well.

The rest of Sunday was spent with organized games around the manor. Although there wasn't a Quidditch pitch, some trees on the east side of the manor were transfigured into hoops and were spaced relatively close to the right distance that it worked well enough. Soon a raucous round of matches took up a good bit of the afternoon. Other groups played more mundane games inside, while others could be found taking books out to the veranda, including Hermione and several of the allies.

That night the elves out did themselves with a fantastic meal cooked outside over several grilling pits. There was plenty to drink, but everyone made sure to limit themselves. By common agreement, all the allies were staying at the manor, even the Weasleys, despite Molly's protests. The stars shone brilliantly and Harry thought that it was a beautiful summer night as he looked around at all his friends, old and new. He had a lot to fight for. Then of course there was Hermione. His ultimate reason to fight. Sensing his thoughts, she turned and gave him a wink and Harry knew it was time to call it a night. He gave his tidings to everyone and apparated his wife up to their suite.

As soon as they arrived in their suite, their lips met and both knew that sleep would be a long time in coming. They each discarded their clothes slowly, taking their time to revel in each other. Over the last week they had been so busy that they had been too tired for more than a bit of fondling before sleep would claim them. Tonight though was their last before the uncertainty of the morrow. Once Hermione was laid back on the bed, Harry looked down and marveled at her in the moonlight.

 _Gods, you're glorious love. I could worship you forever._

 _That's lovely dear, but if you don't make love to me soon, I'm going cry._

 _Well now, we can't have that._

With that, Harry grinned and leaned down to kiss her as he simultaneously slipped into his beloved and began to worship her completely with his body and soul. They moved in rhythm, linked completely as only soul mates could be. When they came the first time it was devastating and took many minutes to recover from. The second time was sweeter and took longer to achieve, but was what finally sent them into a blissful sleep that would see them into the fateful day that would mark a turning point for the rest of their lives.


	32. Battle

Chapter 32 – Battle

Monday, the 22nd of July, dawned to brilliant summer skies at Potter Manor and Harry and Hermione woke, happily wrapped up in each other with the pleasant memories from the night before. They traded a dozen small, sweet kisses and woke slowly as light filtered in around the sides of their curtains. The tempus alarm had been set for seven and they crawled out no more than ten minutes later, after a slow start to appreciate each other. Then they enjoyed a joint shower that was a bit more hasty than either would have preferred, but they had a houseful of guests that they needed to join for breakfast.

The Potters arrived on the veranda for lunch under the beautiful skies at a few minutes after half past the hour and found all but a few of their guests already seated. All of the Aurors were seated with their squads and all the hit wizards were with the squads they were assigned to. There was a feeling of anticipation in the air, but it didn't affect appetites as everyone ate heartily of the usual fine spread that the elves had provided. Harry felt a bit nervous, but more than anything he was ready to have the day done. Hermione squeezed his hand and they went to sit across from Amelia, Sirius, and the Weasleys. As soon as he started to eat, Harry's stomach settled and his appetite made itself known.

Once everyone was done eating, the elves cleared the tables and Kingsley stood to address the group.

"Alright, it's a quarter past 0800. The duel as you know is at 1200. I want us all there and in position by 1100. That includes the platforms, but we've got the setup worked out on those. I know this is the hard part of an operation where you have to wait in the last hours, but let's use this time. Check your equipment and armor. And watch those in your squad. If you see something out of place on someone, tell them. Even a tear in a robe can cause something to catch during battle. For those who have mirrors make sure you test them also and get them positioned where you want them. Move around a bit and ensure they don't shift. Lord Potter has also made us some medical portkeys. Each person will get two and I'll be handing them out shortly. Activation password is Reagan and the portkeys will take one person only. The portkey will drop the injured in the arrival hall here where the elves will be waiting as security. If there's a security breach an elf will remove any hostiles off the property. Otherwise they will take the person to the infirmary for treatment immediately. Now, at 1030, we will be leaving via portkeys by squad to the duel site. Squads 1 and 2 go first as recon. We've kept monitors on the site and there shouldn't be any issues, but just in case, there will be a three minute delay before the other squads portkey with 1 minute delays until everyone is on site. Once everyone is on site, you all know your positions. Platforms are priority one to be set up. The Potter allies that will be snipers on the platforms should be in place and set up no later than 1100. I expect the squads all in place and disillusioned before that. Any questions?"

Kingsley paused and waited, but no questions were posed. None of these details were new, except for the specifics on the portkeys, and then it was just the details since portkeys were often used to move the injured away from the action during raids. The extra security that Harry had added onto the portkeys was a bit unusual, but he was being paranoid about bringing people into his home and worrying about the portkeys falling into enemy hands. Kingsley hadn't minded, even if he had thought it was a bit excessive. With no one posing questions, Harry stepped up to stand by Kingsley and say a few words as well.

"Before everyone goes to get ready, I just wanted to thank you all. I know this is your job, but I appreciate you all backing me up. It was my idea to call this duel and bring this war to a final conflict. I also want to thank you for working with myself and all of my allies over these past few days to train us as much as possible despite us being civilians. It's been an honor to work with you. It's also been a pleasure to get to know a good number of you on a more personal level after hours. I hope you know that I count you all as friends."

Harry didn't want to go overboard so he just gave a small nod as he met the eyes of a few of those who he had come to know more over the past days. He then stepped back and rejoined the rest of his allies as Kingsley dismissed everyone to their tasks and the group all gradually dispersed around the manor. Harry stepped to the side and signaled for all his allies. He also tapped Dumbledore on the shoulder and asked him to collect all the Order members. Once the thirty odd civilians were gathered, Harry led them wordlessly to the lord's office. He had one last arrangement that he had been working on with Kingsley that had only arrived the day before. It had actually taken help from France and it hadn't been cheap, but Jean Louis had helped once again, even if Harry did hate having to wait until the last minute. As soon as the doors closed, everyone found seats where they could and Harry addressed the crowd.

"Alright everyone, I have one more last minute item. I've been working on this for days, but I didn't want to say anything in case I couldn't get these for everyone. I know you've seen me disappear into my office a good bit. Well, I've been making a fair few international floo calls to Monsieur Delacour in France. Kingsley tried to help, but the resources here were already stretched. I wanted all my allies to have standard Auror armor robes. Apparently the DMLE budget is so strapped that Kingsley hasn't been able to buy new robes for the squads for nearly four years. Just getting robes for new recruits is the best he can manage. Amelia is working on changing that, but it will take time. Anyway, at most he could find me a half dozen used robes. Hermione and I could have some custom tailored, but again it's a time issue. Thankfully, France has a surplus. They also were able to work with their friends in Belgium and get a few robes as well. I don't know what excuse was used. I had to pay of course, but that's of little consequence. Now, I guessed on sizes and bought a few extra. Since all this has been continuing to happen in the last days, I added in the Order members who joined us. Hermione helped on estimating sizes, thankfully. So…Giley, Dobby!"

The elves popped in, levitating hanging racks of robes in shades of black and grey. Two more elves joined them and immediately began going around the room, looking each person up and down as they visually sized individuals and then went to the robes and pulled out ones that they thought would fit. As the elves worked, Amelia shook her head and turned to Harry.

"Alright, I'm impressed Harry. I turned my armor robes in when I became Minister because I knew how short on supplies the department was. I actually wasn't looking forward to fighting without them, but Kingsley told me he was 'looking into it'. Obviously he knew about your plan. I had no idea the French had this much extra. I'm jealous."

"Well it wasn't easy to get them to work with me at first. Jean-Louis really made the deal. After all of this is done, I'm donating the robes to the department. I'm not planning on doing any more fighting after this."

"Well thank you Harry. Armor robes are legend. Not just anybody gets them. I really had no hope of ever getting the chance to use any."

"I just wish I could have had them available for training, but we do the best we can."

"Well we have a bit of time yet. I'm going to wear mine and get used to moving in it for a few hours."

"A capital idea. And thank you Harry for including myself and the other Order members."

Harry gave a nod to Dumbledore and then let Dobby fit his robe to him. Soon everyone had a robe that was a good fit, although a couple of the witches had to have theirs shortened a bit. Those were the only adjustments though and the elves had the changes made in minutes. Finally, everyone applied their mirrors to their robes and then went downstairs to the training rooms for a bit of practice.

Downstairs they found a couple of squads doing some basic warmups, but the squad leaders stepped aside and let the civilians get used to their new robes for about forty minutes. The Aurors were surprised to see the new gear, but welcomed the fact that everyone would have a bit more protection. Shortly before ten everyone decided to call an end to their mild drills. The robes were a bit heavier than they were used to, but moved well and nobody had any issues. Everyone then made their way to the veranda where all the squads were beginning to assemble in preparation for the beginning departures at 1030.

At precisely 1030, squads 1 and 2 portkeyed out in formation. Harry couldn't help but give a small sigh. The start of the battle had begun. The first soldiers were moving into position on the battlefield he had chosen a week earlier. Hermione squeezed his hand as they heard Kingsley receive the all clear mirror call from the squad leaders. Next to portkey were squads 3, 4, and 5. This included the platforms, as well as all of the embedded Order members and allies. The Potters were personally with squad 3 and arrived on site at 1038.

As soon as the platforms arrived, the teams assigned to them went to work immediately on their setup. The practice and mockup at the manor paid off and all the platforms were in place with runes activated before the 1100 hour that Kingsley wanted. The first platform was Ron, Emmeline Vance, and George. Second was Susan, Madam Longbottom, and Luna. Third was Blaise, Xeno, and Ginny. The fourth and final platform was Neville, Fred, and Mundungus Fletcher.

The decisions on who to pair up had been made to split couples, as well as to mix the couple of non-combatant Order members among the allies. Both Emmeline and Mundungus had participated in some of the drills, but it was obvious that neither would be much good in the heat of the fighting. Madam Longbottom meanwhile conceded that she was past her prime, but still had a sharp eye and volunteered for the sniper role. Xeno meanwhile was always an odd one and seemed to find it hard to keep track of battlefield strategies. Still, he had quite good aim when given a target, so he was assigned a sniper role as well. As for Fred and George, they diligently practiced with their sniper teams, but also contributed some of their famous potions and all of the platforms were stocked with bins of potion grenades that could be thrown and cause secondary effects to distract Death Eaters while they were being fired upon.

By 1100 all the squads were in place and all had their additional people including the allies and Order members in place as Kingsley had directed. The sun was moving higher in the sky and everyone was waiting as the hour drew nearer. Harry stood toward the front, near a large boulder, ready to step forth as the challenger. His outer robes displayed all his house crests, but he made sure to push the Gryffindor crest forward to prominence.

As everyone was settling in to wait at a few minutes past the hour the entire group was startled by a ripple in the air and a barely audible series of pops that brought everyone to attention and almost brought a rain of spellfire down on the group of individuals that appeared suddenly in front of Harry. Then the unusual robes were recognized and the tension abated just a bit as Kingsley took a cautious step forward. After a few quiet words he confirmed the identities of the group and they left to assume positions wherever they wished. The Unspeakables had arrived.

The final 50 minutes or so was an agonizingly long wait for everyone. Harry was glad for his mental link with Hermione that allowed him to at least carry on a conversation while the rest of the group maintained silence. He was forward with squad 1 and Kingsley, while she was thankfully back and east with squad 4. She wasn't initially happy with it, but other Order members were there as well since they were civilians, so she couldn't complain.

At around ten minutes to noon Kingsley tapped his mirror and began to signal his squad leaders. Everyone around started to shift as muscles were eased and every group was ready for what was to come.

Finally Harry felt that the noon hour must be imminent when the sound of numerous incoming apparitions rent the air. The Auror squads were all well back with easy visibility to where their foes had appeared downfield. Harry quickly assessed what he saw and it was easy to pick out the seasoned troops as they arrived in neat lines, much as the Auror squads did. Then there was a more rag-tag group that appeared to be bunched together that surged forward without much order. Harry suppressed a head shake. Even the civilians in their group were better trained after a few days than that. As the apparitions and a few portkeys finished depositing Voldemort's troops, a gust of wind blew through with a foul malevolence. On that tide came an additional thirty or so odd wisps of black smoke that soon settled out to become the forms of Voldemort and his elite inner circle. When the Dark Bastard himself finally arrived in the front, he looked across the field at Harry and he knew it was time.

 _I love you Hermione. It's time to finish this._

With that, Harry left all of his friends and family and began the slow walk across to the center of the chosen space that he had selected for his duel. He had his wand out, up in front of his face in the manner of professional dueling. He was using all of his Occlumency to project a calm front as he gathered his magic. As he did so, he felt a hum about him and the land itself almost seemed to call to him. Yes, this land was indeed special.

As Harry approached, Voldemort did the same, walking in similar measured strides as both marched in toward each other in the manner of proper duelers. Once they were three meters from each other, they stopped. Then Harry cast a sonorous and issued his formal challenge.

"I, Harry James Potter, heir of Godric Gryffindor, come here today to call forth a duel upon the head of Tom Marvolo Riddle, heir of Salazar Slytherin, as recompense for his murder of my parents and his attempts upon my own life. I call this duel under the old laws of our ancestors from the times of the illustrious Founders. May there be no cease until one of us gives of our life. Let Magic be our arbiter and let no man interfere. So mote it be."

"I, Lord Voldemort, last of the line of Salazar Slytherin, of that name I no longer choose to take, accept your challenge. Let Magic be our arbiter and let no man interfere. So mote it be."

As soon as Voldemort finished his acceptance of the challenge, a ring of blue flames sprung wide around the two of them, at least a hundred meters in circumference. Within the ranks on both sides of the fight there were gasps of shock at the display and then everyone watched as the two fighters observed the formality and barely bowed to each other before the duel began.

Harry remembered the graveyard as he briefly bent at the waist in a vague bow and Voldemort did the same to initiate their duel. Then he didn't even bother looking up before he began casting and neither did Voldemort. Harry's first cast was a strong and wide reducto that he sent at the same time as he stepped wide from the avada kedavra that was Tom's first cast. Really, the dark lord wasn't even very original. The reducto Harry started with was aimed at his opponent's legs and the ground. It missed the legs, but it did kick up a bit of a crater in the ground and a lot of dust and debris that got in Tom's face, which caused the briefest delay in the next cast and Harry would take any advantage as he cast a strong shield before conjuring a flame whip that he had been working with Dumbledore on for the past few days.

Meanwhile, as soon as the duel began, the combatants behind both fighters charged toward each other. The groups fanned around the circle of flames that encompassed the duel and a few looked to watch, but soon everyone was too busy with their own smaller duels. The forward squads of Aurors met with the inward circle of Death Eaters immediately and also focused on Fenrir's pack that was running in at terrible speed from the west side. Mixed in with the squads were the Unspeakables, who kept disappearing and reappearing randomly and firing curses that could only be identified about half the time. Still, they were always helpful, so the Aurors didn't complain and just made room for their weirdness. When the werewolves ran into squad two, the Unspeakables produced some kind of potions in small globes that exploded in mid-air and began to throw them around randomly. Thankfully whatever was in the globes seemed to do nothing to regular wizards, but sent many of the werewolves to the ground screaming in pain.

While squad two was dealing with the bulk of Fenrir's pack, squad one included Kingsley and Dumbledore and were glad for the extra firepower as they dealt with most of the Inner Circle Death Eaters, including all three of the Lestranges. Bellatrix was her usual crazy self, spouting off insults in between a range of foul dark curses and unforgiveables delivered in her strange baby voice. It would have been funny if she hadn't been frighteningly dangerous, as emphasized when a dark purple curse hit one Auror causing him to go down and not come back up again. During a brief moment that Kingsley had to glance at the man, he saw that most of his organs had exited his body and knew that he was beyond hope as he spun and engaged Rodolphus once again.

As the forward squads were tasting the fury of the best of the Death Eaters, the rear squads were just engaging the lesser squads of Death Eaters, who although lesser organized, were still starting fresh and full of adrenaline. They came out firing a lot of curses that, while not original, were still plentiful. Unfortunately for a few of their own they weren't always accurate. From the sniper platforms, those with an aerial view watched some of the early carnage and began to take out targets who soon became even more confused as they tried to figure out where they were getting hit from. It soon became apparent just how disorganized the dregs of Voldemort's lesser ranks were. When one group doubled back on itself after losing a dozen members from sniper fire they literally congregated directly under the platform that Fred was on and he took advantage of their folly as he deposited some leftover failed potions experiments on their heads. Soon the fifteen men were running in all directions screaming in pain as the viscous goo coated their bodies, causing painful burning boils on every bit of skin it touched. Shaking his head, Fred high fived Neville and returned to firing piercing hexes out across the field at selected Death Eaters.

While individual battles raged across the battlefield, the most important battle continued inside the ring of blue flames as Harry put everything he had into battling Voldemort. In the first five minutes of battle he had already used every curse he had and was now linking together chains of spells as he weaved and dodged within the circle. He knew that he would never match Tom for arcane knowledge, but he was pouring everything he had into the battle and hoping it was enough. He had more to live for certainly. As the battle waged on, time became irrelevant. The battle was like a dance, flowing in and out, with a continual pattern. Although it changed, it seemed to return to similar sequences at different points. When they had begun, Tom had insisted on talking and taunting, but he had since ceased that since Harry refused to respond. Harry was too busy analyzing his opponent's moves. He had read books on magical dueling as well as fencing and was trying to find a weakness in Tom's strategy, but was not able to. As the battle continued on for twenty and then thirty minutes, Harry felt fatigue setting in. Both he and Tom had achieving very minimal victories. A small slash there, a small hit there. Harry was feeling bruised and battered and he thought perhaps he was showing it. Looking at Tom, he didn't look near as bad as Harry was beginning to feel. Then Harry thought of Hermione and he strengthened as he felt her not far away and she was doing well…

A few hundred meters to the south of the ring of blue flames, Hermione Potter was being forced to focus on her own battle. She was with squad four, midway back in the battle. It was a compromise position. She wouldn't agree to be put in a safe position on a platform, but she wasn't up in the front either. Even she had to admit that she would be a hindrance in squads one or two. And it wasn't like squad four was bored. They were rushed by a wave of young Death Eaters only a couple of minutes after Harry had initiated the duel. She had tried to keep a light touch on Harry's mind, but as soon as she had started fighting, she had needed all her focus.

The lesser ranks of Death Eaters may not have had finesse, but they were dangerous enough. There were also half again more of them in numbers than there were Aurors in squad four. It seemed that Voldemort had been recruiting from Eastern Europe and had brought in more troops than they had originally counted on. She had been pushed to her limits as she used everything she had been learning and practicing in all her training. Each time she seemed to take one opponent down, another took their place. Nearby, she saw glimpses of Molly Weasley fighting with an amazing strength and tenacity that she would never have never guessed at. As the fighting calmed, she had a chance to move closer to the Weasley matriarch and saw how tired the woman looked, although the fire still burned in her eyes. She also saw that Molly had a number of small wounds on herself, much the same as Hermione did. They were lucky though that the group was not very organized and within the first quarter hour they had sectioned them into a dozen small pieces. At least three of those smaller groups were easily stunned and bound when they had started to argue among themselves. Another group hadn't even been able to communicate because they'd been separated from their translator. It was quite a mess. Within forty minutes of the start of the duel squad four had their quadrant of the battlefield secure with rows of stunned and bound Death Eaters, the majority of them foreign.

With her own battlefield chaos past, Hermione disillusioned herself and crouched down to meditate and restore her connection to Harry. She was tired and she had a few bruises, but it was nothing compared to what she felt when she reached her husband…

As Hermione had a lull in the battle things were not going as well for everyone else. Squads one and two had whittled down the worse of the inner circle Death Eaters, but it had not been easy and they had suffered heavy losses, not the least of which was Kingsley's left hand. Dumbledore had been amazing given his advanced age, which was showing exponentially with each passing minute. A full half of the two squads had fallen and only half of those had managed to be portkeyed back to the manor for medical care. The inner circle and Voldemort's best fighters had also taken heavy losses, but stubbornly Bellatrix, Yaxley, Macnair and Rowle were still fighting strong a full forty minutes into the battle and they directed another twenty or so elite fighters around them.

The battle was continuing on as it had been with squads one and two receiving support from the nearest platform, providing sniper shots as best they could to the fast moving fighters. It was Macnair who finally realized that some of those who were falling were not taking shots from the immediate battlefield. Although busy dueling the second in command of squad two, he began to look around and try to analyze what was happening. When he finally landed a bone breaker that took his opponent to the ground, he acted faster than anyone was able to predict. Before the snipers on the platform could react, Macnair had his infamous axe off of his back and in the air as he ran across the field and toward the trees, screaming like some Norse berserker. Once he reached the trees, he was a madman, swinging wildly at whatever he could not see, gouging trunks everywhere and taking out branches wildly. Unfortunately, his axe managed to hit the supports of the platform that Ron, Emmeline, and George were on. Before they could act, the platform was falling ten meters to the ground. All three cast charms to slow their descent or soften their fall, but that only took care of the immediate fall. Soon all three were on the ground with Macnair and his axe flailing nearby.

While squad one was remaining quite busy, squad three had joined squad two and the Unspeakables to finish off the last of Fenrir's pack. Whatever was in the strange globes the Unspeakables had thrown had worked to an extent, although the larger wolves had just been injured to a point of madness and had been harder to subdue. Worst of these was the alpha wolf himself. Fenrir had killed two Aurors and maimed three others and two Unspeakables before he had finally been killed. Squad two had used up nearly all of its medical portkeys and many of those who were left behind wondered if their friends would ever fight alongside them again. In total it took nearly an hour to contain the pack and the two dozen additional Death Eaters that had joined them.

Beyond squad four the rest of the squads also wrapped up their fighting quickly, finding much of what squad four did; a large force of recently recruited poorly trained foreign fighters that were easily overcome and confused in the heat of battle. Of course there were still casualties even within these ranks, including Order member Dedalus Diggle, who was left back due to his age. He was a bit slower and suffered a violent cutting curse that caused severe internal injuries. His was one of the most severe injuries in squad five and was medically evacuated twenty minutes into the fighting.

While the backup squads finished mopping up the dregs of Voldemort's army, Hermione reached out mentally for her husband and dug deep into herself as she willed her strength and stamina into Harry. Across the field of battle, Harry felt her touch just as he dodged a sickly pinkish-purple curse and went rolling sideways, feeling the static of whatever the spell was brush through his hair as he came all too close to finding out once again what matter of arcane studies Tom had been delving into. The move though only showed him that he was slowing down as each minute of the battle waged on. As he finished the roll though, he felt the unmistakable touch of his Hermione and then the infusion of power as she pushed into him. The feeling was amazing and he felt almost giddy with relief. Then his training asserted himself as he finished his roll, popped to his feet, and simultaneously fired a linked spell chain of two fire curses, a cutting curse, and a reducto. All were fired as he looped to his left, moving with Tom as his opponent seemed annoyed with his quick response and responded with a shield that wasn't quite fast enough to avoid the cutting curse, which clipped Tom's leg as Harry slid under the edge of the shield. If it had been the beginning of the battle, Harry wouldn't have gotten through the edge of the shield, but even Tom was beginning to show a bit of fraying around the edges.

While Harry was receiving his second wind thanks to his link with Hermione, the battle was passing the fifty minute mark and squads one and two had most of the inner circle Death Eaters down with the exception of Bellatrix and Yaxley. They were also backed up by an additional nine elite fighters who were all that were left of the thirty elite fighters that had surrounded the inner circle for support at the start of the battle. Of the two squads, a full third were had been evacuated with medical portkeys and a half dozen would never fight again. It had indeed been just as difficult and horrible of a battle as they had all predicted.

It was as the battle was nearing the fifty minute mark that Kingsley and Williamson finally took down Bellatrix together. Unfortunately, while they were achieving that victory, behind them one of the elite fighters that had been all but wrapped up by squad two decided to launch one final curse before he finally died with a bone breaker to his chest. The curse was a wild shot fiendfyre that went wildly out of control and hit two other Death Eaters and an Auror before finding a wealth of fuel when it hit the nearby trees. Soon everyone was screaming as they knew that there was a platform nearby and it was Dumbledore who, exhausted as he was, conjured a massive bubble of water and sent it to the forest. Meanwhile squad four and those not actively fighting in squads two and three went running to assist. The problem with fiendfyre was that only specially conjured water or very powerful finite spells would work to control it and only the most powerful of wizards could conjure or cast what was needed. While everyone worked to do what they could, Blaise, Xeno, and Ginny evacuated their platform post haste. Unfortunately, both Xeno and Blaise broke bones getting off the platform and all three discovered they weren't able to move faster than the fire. They made it out, but not without serious or critical injuries. Eventually, after a full twenty minutes, Dumbledore's water bubbles finally contained the raging fire beasts. It had taken everything the old man had left though and he had collapsed from magical exhaustion immediately after.

With the boost of power from Hermione, Harry pushed forward and threw everything he had at Tom. Time ceased to exist as the world was nothing but the small patch of singed and churned earth within the blue flames that they now inhabited. As they passed an hour, Harry launched a ferocious sequence of spells that broke Tom's shield. The last spell was a flame whip that looped on Tom's wand arm. Willing all of his renewed power into the spell, Harry let out a primal scream and poured his magic through his wand before giving an almighty yank that caused Tom to give a matching scream before he was sent flying and landed hard on his back ten meters away. Although it had taken a lot from him, Harry pulled on his connection with Hermione and focused on their love as he immediately began a second spell chain just as Tom was jumping up and raising a shield again. It wasn't quick enough though as Harry landed a sectumsempra and a reducto that pushed Tom back into the magical blue flames that outlined the dueling ring. The flames in return pushed the opponent back, knocking Tom forward. As Tom struggled to stand upright, he had the first 'avada' out of his mouth when Harry's cutting curse hit him. Since he still wasn't completely upright, the spell took off the top of Tom Riddle's head, immediately stopping the second half of the spell from ever being uttered as Tom Riddle's blank eyes looked at Harry one last time before he fell face first into the dirt. It actually took a moment for Harry to realize that it was done. Finally. After all the training and all the studying he had taken down Tom Riddle with a simple cutting curse delivered at just the right moment. With that thought, Harry collapsed to his knees in exhaustion as the magical blue flames died, indicating that the duel was recognized as complete.


	33. Aftermath

**Hi everyone. I just want to start and thank you all for the feedback on the last chapter. I was really worried about trying to write the battle scene when so many great battles have been written. You seemed to really like it, so I am reassured. Here now is the aftermath.**

o-o-o-o-o

Chapter 33 – Aftermath

It was a couple of minutes after the blue flames disappeared before the last remnants of Voldemort's army finally realized what had happened and dropped their wands. All of the inner circle were dead, but a few remaining elite fighters were still battling with squads one and two. For those who were marked by their master, they fell immediately, but for those who hadn't earned that privilege, it didn't take long to come to the realization of what had happened as they watched the last of their comrades fall to the ground dead beside them. Then Harry used the last of his strength and stood proudly as he cast a sonorous and his voice ripped across the field.

"LAY DOWN YOUR WANDS. I HAVE DEFEATED YOUR MASTER. TOM RIDDLE IS NO MORE!"

Just as Harry cancelled his broadcast spell and felt like he would collapse once more, he was hit with an incoming charge as his wife finally reached him, after running full out across most of the length of the battlefield. She was a bit battered and worse for wear, but never had she looked better to him as her lips locked onto his and she wrapped herself around him. Both were exhausted though as it had taken both of their strength to defeat Tom and they finally gave in and collapsed to their knees together. They would remain like that for countless minutes until they were actually found surprisingly by Dobby.

"Master and mistress, Dobby is here to take you home. Mister King Man was taken to the manor for his injuries and said the battle was over and you should be coming back."

Hermione turned to the elf and gave a small nod.

"Hi Dobby. Yes, we were going to come, but we're too tired."

"No worries, Dobby be taking you. Master and mistress need healing also."

Using supreme effort, Harry and Hermione helped each other to struggle to their feet, wobbling quite a bit. Once they were upright, Dobby took each of them by a hand and then popped them away, arriving back in the entry hall of Potter Manor. Just being home helped to energize them both just a bit as they looked around at the frantic hive of activity. The Potter elves were busy triaging injuries still and some of the lesser injured were still sitting in chairs, waiting to be taken into the infirmary. Dobby proceeded to drag them toward the infirmary, where Healer Reagan was working on stabilizing and dispatching the worst of the injured, with the help of the Grangers. Jean turned and saw them first, crying out to her children.

"Hermione! Harry!"

"Mum, we're alright. Exhausted, but not critically injured. Take care of the others. "

"I'll be the judge of that. Anyway, your father is providing Reagan's extra set of hands right now. I'm familiar with the basic potions and Auror Lacey knows some basic diagnostic spells. Let's take you two to the hall and check you over. The elves put some settees out this way."

Unable to argue with that compromise, they followed to the hallway and settled on the settees as Auror Lacey followed Jean and began to remove the heavy armor robes before starting to cast diagnostic spells over both of them. The first unusual reading she found was that they were identical on their magical exhaustion readings with both being at 9% total volume. It was just another aspect of the soul bond that showed how they had pooled their resources equally. Most magicals would pass out somewhere between five and ten percent, so it was amazing that they were both still awake and coherent.

As for injuries, Hermione had a number of bruises, the most severe being one on her thigh where she had taken a glancing bludgeoner that would have done more damage without the armor robes. She also had a nasty cut across the back of her wand hand that a combination of a healing spell and dittany took care of. With a shower and a day's rest she would be fine.

Harry was another matter, with so many bruises that they couldn't even be counted. The worse were the plethora across his rib cage, which appeared to have taken several severe hits since he had five broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung. As soon as Auror Lacey found that, she stopped the diagnostics and moved him immediately in to see Healer Reagan. Harry may be tough and used to not showing his injuries, but he was actually much worse off than he was letting on. Healer Reagan had just finished bundling Blaise off to St. Mungo's and immediately turned his attention to the Lord of the Manor, taking over on the diagnostics to start.

"Alright Lord Potter, along with your chest injuries, the cut to your left arm severed a muscle that I will have to knit back together. You also have three broken bones in your left foot, two torn ligaments in your left knee, a concussion, and a minor skull fracture. That's just the major injuries, not counting at least nine other smaller cuts that in the muggle world would at least earn you a few stitches and a host of bruises that I can't even count. I really should pack you off to St. Mungo's."

"No hospitals!"

"Yes, your lady told me you don't like hospitals. Well, you're young and the injuries are stable for now. I'm going to have an elf take you up to your suite and I'll treat you there. First, we need to treat your lungs and the bone injuries. I'll also patch up the cuts. The bruises will resolve over the next few days. In a week or so, you'll be good as new. I don't need to tell you though that I'm going to be pouring liters of potions into you."

Harry made a face and the healer chuckled.

"Healer, before we get started, I need to know the total casualty and injury numbers."

"Later. After…"

Harry pushed himself up in the bed and willed a bit of the magic he had left forward as he rubbed his signet and glared at the healer.

"I am Lord Potter and you are a guest here, you will do as you are bid! I want the numbers!"

Jean looked a bit taken aback, while Hermione smirked. Harry didn't throw his weight around often, but he was exhausted and at the end of his patience. She noticed though that Healer Reagan, who she remembered was muggleborn, didn't seem impressed. She decided that she should intervene.

"Harry, Healer Reagan is just doing his job, I know you are tired and hurting, but please don't get upset with him for helping. Come on love. Healer, I think my husband will rest better if he is better informed and isn't fretting."

"I suppose. I don't have the exact numbers yet. It's been a bit chaotic. I've treated forty-two and sent twenty-four to St. Mungo's. I've lost fourteen since they arrived and I don't know how many never made it to me. One of those was Director Shacklebolt himself. He lost a good portion of his left hand, including three fingers. It was cauterized though and he's a tough enough bastard that he kept fighting until the shock finally got him. You probably want to know about your other friends and allies. Dumbledore magically exhausted himself I heard, but I didn't see him. I think an elf put him upstairs. I took three injured from one of those platforms early on, Ronald, Emmeline, and George. George was the only one awake and talking. Said something about an 'axeman'. That might explain some of the cuts. They all had broken bones also. I stabilized all three and sent them to St. Mungo's a while ago."

Healer Reagan consulted a couple of scribbled notes briefly.

"Um, let's see…Susan, yes she took a stray curse despite being on a platform. Not sure what it was, but it was causing some seizures, so I sent her to St. Mungo's as well. Then there was that Diggle fellow. I think he's with Dumbledore's group? He took a nasty cutter to the gut. I almost lost him, but I managed to package him up and send him off. Then there was another platform that got hit by fiendfyre I was told. I know the burns looked right nasty. I was told they jumped also. Young woman named Ginny was talking to me alright, but a young man named Blaise and a Mr. Lovegood both had broken bones as well. The men both had extensive burns and may not make it. That's just the ones I know were in your groups."

Harry and Hermione both took a moment to absorb the information. So many were hurt and so many were lost. None of their friends, at least that they knew of, although some of the injuries sounded bad. Even their friends who were supposed to be safe on the sniper platforms hadn't been. Harry wanted to go to St. Mungo's and see them.

 _Harry you can't. You've got broken ribs and bruised lungs. The last thing you need to do is move around and cause a piece of loose bone to poke into a lung or worse, into your heart._

 _Damn, I know, doesn't mean I have to like it._

 _I can go though. I'll take a pepper-up. Just sleep more when I get back._

 _If you're sure._

"Thank you healer. I know Harry can't visit St. Mungo's right now, but as soon as we get him settled upstairs, I'm going to take a pepper-up and visit our friends. Then I'll come back and rest."

"You're quite exhausted as well Lady Potter."

"I'll be alright, it's my duty healer."

Healer Reagan nodded and called for Dobby as he began to prepare Harry's regimen of potions. The elf very carefully levitated Harry's stretcher and popped him upstairs to the lord's suite. Giley showed up and took Hermione's hand. She was grateful for the assist to conserve energy anyway she could. Healer Reagan and Jean followed immediately after and Harry was settled in the bed as Hermione levitated and changed him before the regimen of potions began. As soon as he was asleep, Jean agreed to stay by his side and Hermione took her pepper-up before leaving to check on everyone.

Hermione's first stop was to make rounds around the manor. Most of the Aurors were still exhausted and had opted to stay and rest for a few hours. She stopped and talked to everyone, devastated to see how each squad's numbers had diminished. Especially for squads one and two, there were drastically fewer than there should have been. She even peeked in on Dumbledore, but the old man was sleeping soundly. With the manor checked, she then floo'd to St. Mungo's to check on all of her friends.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Hermione stepped forward to the welcome witch, who looked bored and a bit annoyed.

"What can I help you with?"

"I'm here to check on a number of patients that were evacuated from Potter Manor by Healer Reagan."

"Are you immediate family?"

"No."

"Immediate family only for emergent injuries."

"I don't believe you understand. I am the Lady Potter. My husband is Lord Harry Potter. He defeated Lord Voldemort a bit over an hour ago in a duel. I am here to visit the House Potter allies who were injured in the resultant battle. I am here on House Potter business. I must insist."

Hermione rubbed her signet and glared at the witch, who actually stepped back a bit. The entire waiting room had quieted from the usual buzz that echoed around. Hermione kept staring at the witch, waiting for her to respond and not letting up. Finally the witch turned on her heel and left through a series of double doors behind her. She returned a few moments later with an older woman in grey robes lined in purple.

"Hello. I'm Matron Hemp, are you Lady Potter?"

"Yes, hello. I'm Lady Hermione Potter. I'm here to check on our House Potter allies."

"Very good. Please follow me. I have a list of those that Healer Reagan has sent. They're in two different wards. Did you want to see anyone specifically?"

"Um, well I want to make sure the Aurors are well, but I have a number of friends who were injured who aren't Aurors."

"Of course. Let me see. We have a Mr. Diggle first here. Is he a relation? He seems a bit old to be a friend, but he will be the first we come to. Severe internal injuries, the cutter crossed his liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and a kidney. We may not be able to save the kidney, but we're still working on him. He will live though, although it's taken quite a few blood replenishers."

"Mr. Diggle is an acquaintance. I'm glad to hear that he will be alright. Who else do you have?"

"Let's see, next is a Ginevra Weasley. Much closer to your age. She has some severe burns on her back, head, and arms, but she was talking to us. Quite a fiery young woman according to the notes from the ward healer. She actually was quite helpful in identifying some of the others. She's been dosed on pain potions now, but you can visit her."

"Yes please, I'd like to see Ginny."

Matron Hemp nodded and led Hermione a short ways to a lift that took them up one floor. Ginny's room was just to the right of the lift when they exited. As soon as the matron led Hermione in, it was actually Susan who caught her attention first.

"Hermione! You're alright! How's Harry?"

"Susie! I didn't know you'd be in here. How are you?"

"I'm doing better. I got hit with some strange Norse curse. Similar to crucio, but different. I still get some twitches and they want to watch me for a while, but the healers think the seizures have stopped. I'm better than Ginny. She's on the other side of the curtain sleeping, which is a blessing given the burns she has and the skin that she's regrowing. My aunt was hovering until a few minutes ago, but I finally convinced her that she could leave and attend to her duties instead of watching me fall asleep."

"Yes, I heard about Ginny. I actually came to see her. I hadn't realized you were in here. I'm still trying to track down everyone. I'm running on pepper-up myself."

"Well I wish someone would tell me more. I know Blaise was on Ginny's platform, but no one will tell me anything."

Hermione turned to Matron Hemp.

"Mam, do you have a record for Blaise? He probably would have had similar burns to Ginny."

The matron flipped through her notes and paused for a moment, becoming quite somber.

"Who else was with Ginevra Weasley when the fire broke out?"

"We had sniper platforms with three people each. Ginny was teamed with Blaise and Xenophilius Lovegood."

"I see, well that makes sense. The three came in nearly at the same time. Perhaps you should rest and we can talk later Miss Bones."

"No! What is it?"

"Matron Hemp, please. We just finished fighting Voldemort and his army. We need to know."

"Alright. Blaise appears on here with only one name. He's in the critical ward still. His burns were severe. It seems likely that he may need one or two amputations due to the damage. That is if he lives. Fiendfyre burns are quite difficult to treat. As for Mr. Lovegood, he passed about a half hour after he arrived."

"Oh gods no. Poor Luna. Has she been told?"

"I don't know. Matron, has anyone else who is not an Auror that was evacuated from Potter Manor passed on?"

"No, although Ron Weasley is listed as critical as well. Apparently he has severe wounds that he attributed to an axe of some sort. I don't understand that. As for your friend Mr. Lovegood, I don't have him marked as having any next of kin notified yet."

Hermione sat down in a nearby chair, still absorbing all the information. Ron was critical with axe wounds? That had to be Mcnair. She needed to see her friends, but she needed to notify Luna about her father. She was feeling so tired though. Taking a deep breath, she willed herself forward.

"Alright Matron Hemp, I know the status on Susan, Ginny, Blaise, Mr. Lovegood, Mr. Diggle, and Ron. Please give me a quick summary on everyone else. I need to figure out who I need to see first."

"Are you sure Lady Potter? You are looking quite pale."

"Yes. I'll grab another pepper-up if I need to. The battle isn't over yet."

"Alright, let's see, I also have a George Weasley. He has two broken legs and some cuts and bruises, but he's stable. Do you know a Remus Lupin? Healer Reagan evacuated him here as well, but he's a werewolf."

"Yes, he's a good friend."

"Alright, well he's being treated in the Magical Creatures Ward upstairs with potion burn injuries. Apparently he got hit with some sort of silver solution that was meant for attacking wolves and he got hit by some instead. He didn't get much of it, but enough. He should be fine in a couple of days. Finally, the last we have that Healer Reagan sent is an Emmeline Vance, another with broken bones and also with a single axe blow. She is unconscious, but stable. We expect her to be here for the rest of the week."

"Okay, thank you for the summary, so it sounds like the only people other than Susan who are conscious at the moment are George and Emmeline, correct?"

"Yes, unless they decided to sleep."

"Understood. In that case I think I will visit them and then go back to the manor to talk to Luna and bring her back here. Is there someone here she should talk to?"

"Is she an adult? Is there any other family?"

"Yes, she's seventeen, and no, there's no other family that I know of. Luna's mother passed when she was nine."

"Alright, please have her come and talk to Ursula Bryan. I can take you to talk to your other friends now."

"Tell them I said hello Hermione and let me know how everyone is."

"Will do. You rest Susie. I'll be back later."

Hermione and Matron Hemp left, with the matron leading them first two doors down to Emmeline's room. Hermione didn't know Emmeline Vance that well, but had become acquainted with her over the previous couple of days that the Order had spent at the manor. The woman was well dosed on pain potions, but was happy to see Hermione, even if she did keep nodding off.

After leaving Emmeline, Matron Hemp led them to the other side of the floor to George's room. George was only slightly more lucid than Emmeline, but he was happy to have a distraction from the painful process of the skele-gro that was healing his legs. Arthur was by his son's bed and Hermione stayed and talked for a few minutes. The Weasley patriarch himself looked quite rundown, with a nasty bruise on the side of his head, but he brushed off her concern. When Hermione delivered the news about Xeno, Arthur choked up and insisted that Hermione go and take care of Luna. With a promise to return later, Hermione left with one more stop to make before she could head back to the manor.

Pushing herself to her limits, Hermione insisted that the matron show her to the Magical Creatures Ward to see Remus. It was a testament to her exhaustion that Hermione didn't complain and accepted the use of the lift instead of a single flight of stairs. When they arrived at Remus' room, it was small single locked cell that had to be spelled open. When they entered Hermione was glad to see that Tonks was sitting by Remus' bedside. He looked incredibly pale and was swathed in bandages from his chin to his waist, but he was awake and brightened when he saw her.

"Hermione! You look exhausted, why are you here? How's Harry?"

"I'm tired, but I had to check on everyone. Harry is recovering. He has a few injuries, but nothing too serious. He is recovering in our suite back at the manor with Healer Reagan checking on him. Since he couldn't come and check on everyone, I decided to come instead. How are you? I heard that you took potion damage."

"Yes. I got in the way of the globes that the Unspeakables were tossing. I wish they would have warned us about them. They were effective though. I'll have more scars, but probably nothing more noticeable than what I had already. Honestly, the ribs hurt as bad as the burns."

"Ribs?"

"Yes, I cracked most of them fighting my way through Fenrir's pack. Don't worry! I've had worse. I'll be out in a couple of days. Us wolves are tough."

Hermione nodded and looked toward Tonks. She looked worried and was shaking her head as she moved to adjust Remus' blankets. She had a few visible cuts of her own, but didn't look to bad. She had been in squad three if Hermione remembered correctly.

"Tonks, how about you, are you alright?"

"Yes, fine. Nothing but a few scratches and one cracked bone in a foot that I healed on my own. Our field medic treated me, I didn't even need a healer."

"Alright, well I'm glad you're both alright. I really am quite tired and I need to get back to the manor and talk to Luna. I don't know if you heard, but Xeno Lovegood passed from his injuries. I have to inform Luna and bring her to the hospital yet. After that I do need some rest. I'll come back tomorrow."

"Gods no, I hadn't heard. You go take care of Luna and yourself. We're fine here. We'll see you in a day or two."

Hermione excused herself and exited the ward with Matron Hemp, who escorted her back to the lobby. Rather than apparate in her exhausted state, Hermione opted to take the floo back to the manor.

Once she was back at the manor, Hermione went directly to the infirmary and was glad to find Healer Reagan. He reported no change in Harry, who was still resting comfortably. He wasn't pleased with Hermione's exhaustion, but when she notified him of what she still needed to do, he reluctantly agreed to give her one more pepper-up. The second dose didn't help as much as the first, but she thought it would see her through what she needed to do. Once she had visited the loo and washed her face, she called for Giley to ask where Luna was. It took a minute for the elves to check, but her friend was found on the back veranda, where Hermione quickly made her way to. As soon as she arrived and Luna saw Hermione heading for her, the blonde rose to meet her.

"Hermione! How are you? How is Harry doing? They said he was stable and resting. Can you tell us about the others? I tried to go to the hospital, but the healers told me to stay here until the triage was done and someone would send word. I've been waiting for a healer to come like they said they would."

"I'm alright. Mainly tired. Harry will be better in a week or so. I don't know why a healer hasn't come, at least to talk to Reagan. Probably just lost track in the confusion. I have been to the hospital though and can tell you more."

Hermione looked around and saw that the veranda was crowded with scattered groups of Aurors and others who were eating buffet style and talking in casual settings. Wanting more privacy, she took Luna by an arm and led her inside.

"I need to talk to you Luna. Let's go in the parlor. I just came from St. Mungo's where I've been visiting all the injured. I know they weren't allowing visitors, but being Lady Potter has its privileges."

They reached the parlor and the two friends sat down next to each other as Hermione turned to face her friend.

"First, let me tell you about Ron. His platform was attacked by Macnair, who apparently took his axe to it. Even though he couldn't see it, he was able to get some lucky hits in and took the platform down. Those on the platform fell and suffered some broken bones. Ron got the worse of it, apparently he fell in front of Macnair. He fought back, but he was in a prone position and took some axe blows. He's in critical condition."

Hermione let that first bad news set in as she put an arm around Luna. Her friend looked at Hermione and could tell she wasn't done.

"Alright, what else?"

"Luna, did they tell you anything about the details from the end of the battle, about a fire?"

"Yes, I heard one of the platforms caught on fire and they had to evacuate it."

"Yes, it was the platform that Blaise, Ginny, and your father were on. They jumped off the platform to get away and a couple of them broke bones. The fire was actually fiendfyre and the Death Eater who cast it had very poor control of it. All three of them were burned. Ginny is stable, but Blaise is critical and may need some amputations, it still too early to tell. Your father was sent to St. Mungo's immediately, but his burns were too severe. I'm sorry Luna, but he passed a short while after he arrived at the hospital."

Hermione reached to hold Luna's hand as her friend seemed to suddenly fold in on herself, looking at Hermione with vacant eyes. Minutes past without a sound and then she suddenly let out a strange whimper before finally speaking.

"Da…Daddy's…gone?"

"I'm so sorry Luna."

Luna doubled over at that point and Hermione wrapped her arms around her friend and held her. No tears flowed, but instead Luna rocked herself, whimpering occasionally. Hermione found herself crying instead for her friend, feeling unable to do anything. She was unsure how long they sat there when Luna eventually unfolded herself and sat up.

"What am I going to do?"

"Well, the hospital wants to talk to you. I'll go with you. And if you want, I can ask my mum if she will come. And you are welcome to stay here with us as long as you need. Anything we can do, just ask. You have friends Luna, you're not alone."

"Th..thanks. Yes, can your mum come."

"Sure, let's see where she is."

A quick check with the elves found Jean back in the infirmary. Hermione went to talk to her mum briefly and soon Jean was holding Luna as the threesome made their way to floo back to St. Mungo's. Hermione had a strange sense of deja vu when she arrived back at the hospital only an hour or so after having left. This time she was led to a social services office where she and her mum supported Luna for the half hour or so that it took to complete the immediate paperwork that was needed. By the time that was done, so was Hermione. Luna still wanted to see Ron, so Jean went with Luna to visit him upstairs while Hermione went on back to the manor. The pepper-ups had all but worn off and she happily floo'd back home.

As soon as she arrived via the floo, Hermione called for Dobby and had the elf pop her up to her suite, where Hermione barely managed to shed her robes before she crawled in next to Harry. She only briefly thought of all her injured friends and the aftermath of the battle before she let blessed sleep claim her.

Hermione slept for a grateful ten hours before she was roused by the arrival of her mother and Healer Reagan, coming with a tray of potions for both her and Harry. It was the morning after the battle and they both woke with groans. Harry was ordered to stay in bed, but Hermione knew she needed to get back to the hospital. She didn't want to worry Harry, but he queried her about their friends before she could divert his thoughts.

"Love, how did everything go at the hospital? Who is hurt?"

Hermione sighed and knew from the look that Harry was giving her that he needed to know. Truthfully, he was much stronger than the day before, although he was still in a lot of pain.

"Alright, I'll tell you everything, but you have to stay in bed another day at least. You cannot set your healing back. Agreed?"

Harry scowled, but nodded. With his agreement, Hermione went ahead and asked Healer Reagan to wait on the potions while she gave Harry a brief summary of everyone's injuries. He was dismayed to hear that several of their friends were badly injured and especially that Luna had lost her father. Hermione knew he hated being confined, but he had made the agreement with her. Once she finished, Healer Reagan examined Harry and seemed satisfied with his progress. He administered the first potions of the morning and then quickly examined Hermione. Other than still being a bit rundown, she was fine, so an elf was called to deliver breakfast for the both of them before the healer had some final news.

"Now Harry and Hermione, I need to get back to St. Mungo's. I'll leave you instructions and potions and check back in tomorrow morning, but Jean should be able to take care of you and I know Hermione will be visiting the hospital. If you need me, just floo call the hospital."

"Thank you for everything healer."

With that the healer left just as their food was arriving. Jean sat down in a nearby chair to talk to them while they ate. She looked tired as well, but seemed to be in better spirits than the previous day.

"Alright, while the two of you eat I thought I'd update you on what has been happening around the manor. Your father and I have been keeping track of everything with the help of the elves. Immediately after the battle the uninjured Aurors and hit wizards stayed around to rest, but they've all gone home or back to the Ministry now and the elves have started to clear out the cots and such. I told the elves to not push themselves too hard on the cleanup. Taking a couple of days won't matter. The last Aurors left maybe eight hours ago. Your other allies have been in and out, mainly staying here briefly for a few hours of sleep and then going to the hospital to see the injured. I saw Sirius briefly, but he may have been at his own house. I know he's been at the hospital quite a bit. The Weasleys were here briefly, but I think they've been home and at the hospital. I brought Luna back after a couple of hours and she's still resting with the help of a dreamless sleep potion. As for the Order members, Dumbledore was the last one here, but he woke early this morning and asked me to pass on his thanks for the hospitality before leaving for the hospital and then the Ministry. He said he'd call later in the day. He still looked quite tired, but said he needed to talk to a number of people. So, other than us, your father, and Luna are the only people at this precise moment who are at the manor."

"Wow, the place cleared out quicker than I thought it would. Thanks for working with the elves. I need to get back to the hospital soon. Has there been any word on anyone? Any changes?"

"Nothing that I've heard."

Hermione nodded and the room became quiet as everyone was left to their own thoughts as breakfast soon finished. When they were done, Harry had one more potion that he had to take and then he insisted that he wanted a shower. Jean excused herself and Hermione helped her husband into their large shower. Although they traded a few kisses, Harry was nowhere near ready for any antics and was just happy to have layers of grime and blood finally washed away. By the time he was clean he was more than ready to return to bed.

Once Hermione had Harry settled, she got herself dressed and floo'd back to St. Mungo's. Since she now knew where everyone was, she bypassed the hectic lobby and made her way to the lift. Moving through the crowd purposefully and acting like she belonged meant that no one questioned her. Her first stop was the critical ward where she found Arthur and Bill at Ron's bedside. Unlike the previous day, Ron was partially awake, although he was on a heavy pain solution and seemed feverish. As soon as she knocked, Arthur welcomed her in.

"Good morning Hermione, come in. He's awake. How are you and Harry?"

"I'm fine, just tired. Harry is recovering at home. He's still on mandated bed rest until all his broken ribs and lungs heal. What do the healers say here? I haven't been by in over twelve hours."

"Perhaps we should step out for a moment..."

Hermione accepted Arthur's hand as he led them out to the hallway to talk.

"Hermione, it's been a long night here. Ron broke a hip when he fell, but the worse of the injuries came from the fact that he couldn't get up and fight Mcnair after the platform came down. He took at least six axe blows and the bastard had some kind of poison on the blade that prevents wounds from healing. There's no easy way to say this, but last night to save Ron's life, they had to amputate his right leg. He almost lost a hand and part of an arm, but the wound wasn't as deep. He's going to have some horrific scars, but in the last couple of hours we've turned a corner and the healers don't think any more amputations are going to be necessary. He's only semi-lucid and we don't think he's realized what they had to do yet."

Hermione felt everything drop out from under her as she crumpled and Arthur caught her. She began to sob into his chest. Ron was such a big, strong bloke that the idea of him missing a limb seemed impossible. Suddenly her breakfast rebelled and she turned quickly away as she heaved and emptied her stomach as her sobs grew worse. A nearby healer came over and vanished the mess while also producing a calming draught that he seemed to have waiting in a pocket on standby. Hermione didn't even think as she downed it and felt the waves of calmness quiet her sobs. She turned back to Arthur and shook her head.

"Sorry Arthur."

"Don't worry about it, we all understand. Do you want to try to talk to him?"

Hermione nodded and dried her face as she followed him back in the room to see her friend. She spent a few minutes by Ron's bedside and thought she saw a brief flicker of recognition as she was talking, but wasn't sure. Then she looked up at the others.

"By the way, how are George and Ginny? I haven't made it to them yet."

"George is up to his usual ways. Pranking and flirting with nurses. The skele-gro is almost done with the work on his legs. Fred and Charlie are with him and we take turns checking on him and giving him updates on everyone. Molly, Percy, and Neville are with Ginny. We're divided up between each of the rooms."

"Alright, well, I'm going to make my rounds to everyone. I'll be back to check in with you all in a while."

Arthur hugged her as Hermione made her way to her next stop in the critical ward two doors down to see Blaise. When she entered she found both Susan and Amelia sitting on opposite sides of a bed that was contained in an unusual warded field that was visible as a faint golden bubble. Within it Blaise could be seen swathed in bandages and with multiple tubes of potions running to bottles of potions on the side of the bed. A healer stood to the side constantly monitoring him and he looked even worse than Ron had. Hermione took a deep breath as she stepped closer. Susan turned and stood up to greet Hermione with a hug.

"Hi Susie. It's good to see you out of bed. How are you feeling? Are you discharged?"

"Yes, as of a couple of hours ago. As soon as I could, I came up here to be with Blaise. He needs someone to be with him. Auntie has been here as much as she can, but he doesn't really have anyone."

"What are the healers saying?"

"Well, as of this morning, they've stopped the burn progression. Now they have to remove the dead skin and start growing new skin. The problem is that fiendfyre is a dark curse so it leaves a lot of scarring. Auntie is having a specialist called in from Russia to come and work with the healers here to hopefully reduce the scarring, but it may still be quite severe. They also don't know if he'll ever be able to grow hair again. He's in a lot of pain right now as well, so they're keeping him asleep. He probably won't be awake for a few days."

Hermione just nodded and gripped her friend's hand. There wasn't much she could say, so she just went to sit and be with Susan for a while. They talked for a few minutes about the battle and also about their other friends before Hermione excused herself to go see the others.

The next several hours were much the same for Hermione and she was glad that she had already emptied her stomach as each encounter was painful, even those with friends who were starting to recover. Ginny was doing the best of the burn victims, but her hair was so devastated that she had opted to cut the front and sides of her hair short to lessen the dramatic impact where her hair had burned off in the back. She also had burns to her shoulders and upper arms, but had escaped most of the injuries that the others on the platform had suffered.

Along with visiting her allies, Hermione also stopped by to visit Dedalus Diggle and Emmeline Vance. The two Order members were both recovering well from their own injuries and were due to be released within the week. Dedalus had lost a kidney, but his liver and pancreas had been repaired from the damage they suffered from the cutting curse. Emmeline meanwhile had broken her leg and a hand when her platform had fallen and had also taken one axe blow, but all her injuries were treatable.

Hermione stayed at the hospital until shortly after one and then floo'd back to the manor, finding herself more exhausted than she would care to admit, both physically and emotionally. The day would set a pattern for the following week as she would make visiting her injured friends a priority.

A week after the battle everyone had been released home except for Ginny, Ron, and Blaise. The three of them remained, but were all stable enough that their family members all left them long enough to attend the memorial service for Xeno Lovegood held at the cemetery in Ottery St. Catchpole. Luna was still staying at the manor, but she returned her father to the ancestral ground of his family and to the spot next to the wife that he had lost years earlier.

Along with Xeno, the battle saw the loss of twenty-seven brave Aurors, nine hit wizards, and two Unspeakables. Amelia and Kingsley attended the services for all of them. Harry had come to know a few of them over the week they had stayed at Potter Manor and he also attended a few of the services with Hermione.

Nine days after the battle, Ginny was released from the hospital, although she still had a heavy regimen of potions and bandage changes. The day was also Harry's sixteenth birthday. He insisted on a quiet celebration at the manor with his close family and friends. They had a simple luncheon with good food and cake, but the celebration didn't go overly long. It was good to have Ginny with them, but two of their number were still missing.

It would be an additional ten days before Ron would be released from the hospital. The loss of his leg was difficult for him and his demeanor remained sullen, despite Luna's attempts to raise his spirits while she herself was still grieving. His arrival home came just in time to celebrate Ginny's birthday the day following his homecoming.

Blaise was the last to be released a week after Ron and just two weeks before the start of school. Home for him was Bones Manor, where he and Susan set aside past differences and realized what was truly important after all they had been through together.

With all of combatants back to some semblance of normal life and Voldemort defeated, Harry and Hermione looked forward to a brighter future for themselves and all of their friends and allies.

o-o-o-o-o

 **At this point I think this story is close to being wrapped up. I'm thinking now that it just needs a long spaced out epilogue.**


	34. Epilogue

**Hi everyone. A quick note in regards to the last chapter. There was some confusion in regards to Kingsley. Some people thought I killed him and then brought him back for Xeno's funeral. In my mind he was injured and maybe passed out, but not dead. Specifically Reagan says: ' _..and he's a tough enough bastard that he kept fighting until the shock finally got him.'_ Some read that as dead, but that was not what was in my head, just to clarify. My thought always was that he was injured and kept fighting a bit longer, passed out, and was then medically evacuated. Sorry for the confusion. Anyway, now that I've hopefully cleared that up, here is the final installment. Like I said, this epilogue will be spaced out and will cover a good bit of time, so expect some jumps, as that is intended. Now that the war is over and life is returning to normal I want to show what happens without being too boring. Thanks to everyone for R&R. **

Chapter 34 – Epilogue

Over the rest of August the Potters and their allies gradually recovered from their injuries and tried to define a new normal to life. For Harry and Hermione that meant staying at Potter Manor rather than returning to the Grangers. It was an adjustment for Neil and Jean, but the two couples often got together on the weekends and for dinners.

One major milestone came shortly after Ginny's birthday when OWL results were sent for all fifth year students. Hermione didn't surprise anyone when she was the top in her year with nine Outstanding OWLs. Harry himself was happy with five Outstandings and one Exceeds Expectations. His Outstanding in DADA was also listed as a special merit for being the highest score in the entire ICW, which shocked him, but not his wife.

The rest of the summer passed fairly quietly at Potter Manor with most of the group of friends enjoying visits with each other as much as possible. For some though the visits weren't as easy as others. Ginny was recovering fairly well from her burns, although she still needed bandage and salve changes and wore a hat everywhere she went. Ron was another matter though, as he remained distant with everyone and barely even talked to his family. Most of the time he stayed in his room and let his mother send up trays of food to him, wallowing in self-pity. Worse of all, he refused to see Luna, who was still struggling over the loss of her father and then had the compounded loss of her boyfriend to deal with. She had accepted Hermione's offer to stay at the manor at least and appreciated the additional support.

Of their other friends, Blaise remained the only other with lasting serious injuries, but he took an opposite approach from Ron. Rather than seclude himself, the ordeal had drawn him closer to Susan, as well as Aunt Amelia. In the last weeks of summer he had finally come around to calling her auntie as well as his relationship with Susan had reached a new level. Susan seemed to have matured as they took more time to discuss what each of them needed and she gave him more latitude to be a man, while still supporting him.

As the month drew to a close the day approached for the annual school supplies trip to Diagon Alley. All of the allies, as well as additional school friends, met up at the Leaky in a raucous and fun group that split up along a gender divide as they all decided to go their separate ways. Amazingly Ron was in the group after much discussion and with Arthur once again having to assert control over his wife who had wanted to do the shopping for their youngest son. Ron was sullen, but he had at least decided to use the magical prosthesis that St. Mungo's had offered him, even if he still needed a cane for balance. Luna stood nearby, looking at him longingly as she went off with the other witches.

Blaise was a bit self-conscious as he watched Susan leave with their friends. He hadn't been out in public since the battle and he was no longer the handsome young man he had been a couple of months previously. The healers were still working spells, potions, and salves on his scars, but the fiendfyre had burned him to the bone and they weren't sure how much progress they would be able to make against the dark curse's effects. His face was now a web of dark pink mesh over his brown skin that extended down his shoulders and arms. Even in the heat of summer he wore a special light silk shirt that was charmed to remain constantly moist over the salve that was still trying to keep his new scars from binding up. As for his head, the healers had warned him that it was unlikely that he would ever grow much hair. At least they had been able to repair his eyes enough that he was able to blink again, eliminating the constant irritation that he had experienced in the first weeks. Steeling himself and focusing on the jokes that Fred and George were cracking, he tried to ignore some of the glances that other shoppers were giving him and instead made his way with the others into the apothecary to start crossing off the first items on their shopping list.

While Blaise was dealing with the stares, another victim of the fiendfyre was combating her own insecurities, even if her injuries weren't as noticeable. Ginny largely hid the worst of her burns under a large shirt and hat. She too was still enduring potions and salves, but thankfully didn't have the facial injuries that Blaise had and her burns were limited mainly to her back and shoulders primarily. The worst part for her was her head, although her thick hair had saved her some and the healers were hopeful that the lesser intensity of the burns on the back of her head would allow some hair to eventually return. Still, as a young woman who had once prided herself on her hair it was a difficult blow. Then she looked over to Luna who was trying to force herself to be joyful with the group and Ginny realized that she really could have been a lot worse off. As much as she felt bad for Ron, he needed to get his head out of his arse soon. If he really cared for Luna, he needed to start showing it. At least he was alive. Shaking her head, Ginny decided to set aside those thoughts for the day and grabbed Luna's arm as she gave her friend a squeeze and pulled her along to go shopping.

The rest of the shopping went well for the group, with the stares of other shoppers largely disregarded. The groups finished their lists by about half past noon and then had lunch at the Leaky before saying their goodbyes with promises that the early arrivals would reserve compartments on the Express the following day.

Soon school started again and everyone was back into the busy schedule of classes and immured into the bubble that was Hogwarts. For a couple of the friends it was OWL year with the madness that brought, while for the majority it was the relative ease of sixth year sandwiched between OWLs an NEWTs. The Potters were back in their apartment, which was once again a welcome gathering spot for all of their friends, both for studying and for relaxing after hours.

Once school had begun and classes and Quidditch were well underway, about a month into the school year, Hermione was cuddled with Harry on their couch one night when she brought up a subject that quite shocked him.

"Harry my love I've been thinking."

"Hmmm?"

"Well, everything is well settled now. Our friends are doing better. Ron is even starting to come around since Arthur insisted he see that mind healer every Saturday. School is a lot of work, but nothing too bad. I think the time is right that I want to try for a baby. I am due to take next month's potion tomorrow, but I don't want to."

Harry startled and looked down at her. He twitched just at the thought.

"Um, wow, alright. You know I want a family, but let's think this through. If you get pregnant in the next couple of months when will the baby be due, summer?"

"Yes, that was my plan. Have the baby in the summer and then we'll have time to get a schedule set before we come back next year. I was thinking we can have one of the elves come and look after the baby for a few hours when we are both in class. I'm sure one of them has some experience. It won't be that much time. Even when we're studying, we're in here a lot."

"I guess that will work. You know I was leaving this up to you mainly. I will help as much as possible, but the first nine months I can't do much, but I'm happy to start if you are."

Hermione smiled at him and stood up to lead him to the bedroom even if she knew her potion was still working for a bit longer.

While the Potters were doing some family planning, Ron was working on a problem of his own. He and Luna had been essentially broken up since the battle. Not that he had actually said the words, but with the way he had treated her, he knew it meant the same. Now it was the beginning of October and he had decided it was about time to do something about it. He missed her and the casual flirting with Lavender in the common room lately had left him feeling hollow. She just wasn't the same as Luna.

Ron's memories of the battle were quite jumbled after the point of remembering the falling platform and he thought that was probably a blessing. Then he woke up in the hospital a week later in a lot of pain and had to have it all explained. Spell damage he could understand, but axe wounds? Then they told him they had to take his leg off? How was he supposed to play keeper with only one leg? He'd spent another week or so in the hospital before he'd been sent home. His family had been great taking care of him, especially his mum, but did any of it really matter to a one legged cripple? He didn't even really want to go back to school, but he wasn't given a choice. Luna had come by to visit a couple of times, but what could he offer a woman? No, it was best she not see him. He felt bad about her father, but she needed to find herself someone who was whole.

He returned to school like he had been told to do, but that didn't mean he had to do much. He used the damn fake leg, but it was difficult to move with and he hated the cane. He was late to classes, but no one complained. Everyone felt sorry for the cripple. He didn't much care and he didn't bother with homework much. It wasn't like he really wanted to be at school. After nearly two weeks of lackluster performance, he had been surprised when his father had showed up and lit into him. Then his father had insisted on a trip to St. Mungo's where they'd visited a special healer who spent a whole hour talking. He hadn't really liked it much, but after a few times, he now realized a few things about himself and also knew that he needed to go talk to Luna.

Ron's talk with Luna went well, if not as spectacular as he had hoped. She hadn't welcomed him back with loving arms and kisses. She was still hurt, but she was willing to give him a chance and tentatively try again. She herself was still healing as well. Much like Ron, her wounds were mostly not visible.

As the year continued, each one of the Potter allies healed a bit more emotionally, discovering that they all had more wounds than they realized. All the couples grew closer and strengthened more as the holidays approached.

For Harry and Hermione they received an early Christmas present when Hermione woke up during the first week of December and went running for the loo to be sick. She immediately thought the obvious and a trip to the hospital wing a short while later confirmed the happy news that she was expecting in early August. All their friends were thrilled, as were the Potter elves. Besa quickly confirmed that she not only had cooking skills, but had some nanny training and would be more than happy to accompany them back to school the following year.

Christmas that year was extra festive and was spent at Potter Manor with all of the allies and a large group of additional friends on Christmas Eve. Then Christmas Day was spent quietly with just the Potters and Grangers together. The rest of the holiday was spent with various trips to different friends' houses before they all had to be back at school.

The rest of the school year passed quickly for Harry and Hermione, if not quickly enough for their friends who were preparing for OWLs. Ginny especially seemed frazzled, although Neville was a continual calming force in her life. Her injuries were completely healed, although she had lasting scars from the back of her head down to the back of her shoulders and arms. Her hair grew back in a bit patchy, but with subtle charms and combing the sides around in a short bob she managed to keep it in a cute style that made it almost unnoticeable. Not that Neville minded, he considered all of her scars as marks of her bravery and loved her more each day.

Soon the Potters finished their sixth year on a hot June day and Hermione was more than ready to toss aside her hot Hogwarts robes. She was seven and a half months pregnant and ready to run around the manor in shorts and a crop top until her and Harry's firstborn made his appearance. Although the baby had been a bit stubborn on early scans, a month before the end of school they had happily found out they were expecting a boy.

Deciding that his wife deserved a break, but also knowing that she couldn't endure a long portkey, Harry arranged a week's holiday for them. After a week back at the manor with the Grangers they took a short floo trip to the Isle of Wight for a beach holiday at a spa resort in which he ensured that Hermione was completely pampered. By the time they returned they were a short four weeks from the arrival of their son and neither could wait.

Apparently neither could their son since only three weeks later James Henry Potter made a slightly early arrival on August 3rd, 1997. He had his father's black hair, although it showed a slight curl. His eyes were a blue green that Hermione hoped would change to match Harry's, but only time would tell. His grandparents, as well as all their friends were immediately besotted with the new arrival.

The first month of James' life went in a flash and soon the Potters were back for their last year at Hogwarts. As well as being NEWT students, Harry had also been offered a position as assistant professor of DADA to help the new Professor Osborne, who had been brought in on a temporary basis from the States. Given his top OWL scores, Harry could almost teach the class himself and the professor was thrilled to have the assistance.

The Potters NEWT year at Hogwarts went by quite quickly as the couple was busy as new parents as well as students. Harry still played Quidditch, although team captain Ginny Weasley often let him skip practices as long as he familiarized himself with the team's playbook. She enjoyed a spectacular season as a chaser and only wished that she could have her brother by her side, but Ron had never managed to regain enough balance to fly at speed with his prosthesis. Even walking long distances still required a cane. The Gryffindor team did well though and just edged out Ravenclaw to win the cup at the end of the year.

On the home front, little James was the delight of Harry and Hermione's life. No longer was any studying done in the library if it could be avoided. All books were brought to the apartment or taken outside in good weather where studying could be done while also watching the rapidly growing little boy. Hermione knew that her work suffered some from her distraction with her son, but if her essays were a half dozen inches shorter, she no longer cared. As for their friends, they were all equally smitten and Besa often found herself unneeded when friends would come by and take the small boy away if his parents were busy elsewhere. More than one of them claimed that he was a perfect stress reliever.

Harry also enjoyed working with Professor Osborne and especially took students aside who were having difficulties and needed especial attention in class. As he had shown with the DA, he had a special talent for teaching and making the subject understood to even the slowest of students.

Soon June arrived and the dreaded days of NEWT exams came with it. The castle was buzzing with anticipation and stress until finally the exams were done. Once the Potters were finished with the exams, Harry used his status as a lord to avoid traveling home on the Express and instead took a floo directly home to Potter Manor with his family after wishing all his friends well and promising to see them all later in the summer.

The event that would bring all the friends together just two weeks later was the much anticipated wedding of the House of Bones. Blaise had proposed the previous Christmas, as expected by all their friends. He and Susan had been through a lot together and their relationship had weathered and strengthened. Amelia spared no expense throwing a grand fete for the two young people she loved dearly and the celebration welcomed four hundred to Bones Manor for the evening nuptials that included a full dinner and ball after the ceremony.

Once the wedding was past, Harry and Hermione were able to proceed with their own plans for the summer and packed James up as they headed to the continent for a sixteen week tour of mainland Europe. Harry had never traveled much and Hermione's trips had always been limited to brief one week trips to individual destinations. Now they had the time and money and they had decided to see some of the world. The headmaster had been hoping to convince Harry to stay on in a more permanent capacity as a professor, but Harry had decided that he didn't want to be immured in a castle at just eighteen.

Twelve weeks into their European tour, as the Potters toured Croatia, they received the welcome news that James was going to be a big brother. Other than picking up some potions in Zagreb and slowing down the tours a bit, they didn't have to make any changes and continued with the rest of their travels, arriving back in England in late October.

Once the Potters were back home, they reconnected with their friends and were glad that Neville was doing well with his apprenticeship for his Herbology mastery. Hermione herself was feeling well with her second pregnancy and had decided to focus on self-study for a Runes mastery while Harry began to look into the Potter businesses more.

While Neville was busy, his girlfriend Ginny was back for her last year at Hogwarts and was leading Gryffindor's Quidditch team once again as she dreamed of playing professionally. The two of them were very much in love despite having to keep a long distance relationship and, before Ginny had returned to school, Neville had proposed with an heirloom Longbottom ring that Ginny had enthusiastically accepted. No date had been set since Ginny was still waiting on professional scouts and wanted to keep her dates and options open.

While Neville and Ginny were doing well, Luna and Ron had broken up officially in early July. Ron had only received two acceptable NEWTs and had decided to work at Weasley Wizard Wheezes with his brothers. Luna had tried to encourage him to re-test, but he insisted that she wanted too much from him, especially now that he was a cripple. Watching his sister play Quidditch successfully over the previous year had weighed heavily on him, bringing old insecurities back and he had also begun to drink in private more, sneaking firewhiskey whenever he could. The combination was not good and it had all compounded through the year. Luna finally had enough and called it off. She had accepted an expedition internship for a month in Iceland to look for the hrosshvalur and left immediately after.

When Luna returned from her expedition she was in noticeably better spirits and was determined to move on. She decided to focus on her NEWTs, although she did welcome the attentions of Colin Creevey when he asked her to accompany him to the first Hogsmeade weekend. He had grown up and matured quite a bit and she found herself enjoying the company of someone whose company was light and easygoing. Although he wasn't sure about the creatures she discussed, he listened wholeheartedly and even agreed that if she ever found them he would love to photograph them. After that first promising date they ended up spending more time together and gradually the relationship grew until the two soon became nearly inseparable. Even though it was NEWT year for both and they had a lot of studying, they enjoyed burying themselves in work together.

As spring began bloom, so did Hermione and on April 12th she delivered the second Potter heir. Harry cried just as much at the sight of his second son, who had the same dark hair. He was named Neil Charlus. James' hair had grown and curled in ringlets, but baby Neil's hair stuck out like he had been shocked and Harry immediately apologized as it appeared that his son had inherited the Potter hair. Not that it mattered, he was beautiful.

With two boys in the house, Potter Manor only felt more alive. Harry felt beyond blessed and enjoyed spending time with his boys while Hermione studied for her mastery. She was working on Runes and was also considering a Charms mastery in the future. Harry still had work to do with his businesses, but with the help of the goblins, it was part time work at the most and he still turned a sizeable monthly profit regardless.

Once June passed and Ginny and Luna finished their NEWTs, Ginny immediately signed to play chaser with the Tutshill Tornadoes. Neville was ready to marry her, but they wanted her to start practicing with the team in six weeks. With that in mind, a flurry of wedding planning ensued immediately.

With the help of the Potter and Longbottom elves, as well as Molly and Augusta Longbottom, the wedding was put together in a mere four weeks. Ginny and Neville were married in front of 210 guests at Longbottom Manor at noon and then had a luncheon immediately following. They portkeyed to Spain for a week's honeymoon following and then were home for four days before Ginny had to start training camp. It was a complete whirlwind, but it fit the young couple. As long as Neville and Ginny were happy, their friends and family would be happy for them.

After the Longbottom wedding, the Potters decided it was time for a break of their own and they packed up their sons and took a multi stage portkey trip to Australia. They spent six weeks in Australia and New Zealand before then stopping for three weeks in India on the way back home, finally arriving back at the end of September. It wasn't the easiest to travel with young children, but magic and money certainly helped.

While the Potters were traveling, so were Luna and Colin, who had both been accepted in different roles as interns on a magizoology expedition in South America. Luna was in place as an evidence specialist, while Colin was a photographer. The two hadn't made any official promises, but both knew that they were committed to each other.

As for the other couple among the Potter allies, Blaise and Susan were doing equally well. Upon their marriage, Blaise had officially taken the Bones name. Amelia had been training Susan for a political career for years, so she took the Bones seat on the Wizengamot, while her aunt remained in the Minister role. Blaise meanwhile gradually took over the Bones business holdings from the goblins and used the training that his father had given him when he was younger to start to expand and grow the stagnant businesses. Fifteen months after they were married everyone was thrilled when Susan gave birth to twins, a boy named Silas and a girl named Sarai.

The months passed and all the friends were doing well as they pursued their different careers. On Christmas Eve when baby Neil was eight months old the Potters got an early Christmas present when they found out they were expecting again. It was a bit sooner than planned, but they were thrilled. A month later they got another surprise when they found out they were expecting twins a well. Hermione was actually a bit upset when she realized that she would have three in nappies at the same time.

As his family grew, Harry settled more into his role as a leading figure in the Wizengamot, working with his political allies to shepherd new laws that brought about more equality for muggleborns, as well as gradually sweeping away some of the more prejudicial laws that had remained for hundreds of years. Change wasn't easy and it didn't come swiftly, but as older purebloods gradually passed on and new blood took over it did start to happen.

The Potter twins made their arrival two weeks early the following summer on a hot day in early July, adding two daughters to balance out the family. Jean Lucy and Lily Joy were small but perfectly healthy and Hermione declared their family complete within minutes of their birth. Harry was fine with that as he looked at his four beautiful children, he couldn't be happier at how perfect they all were.

The Potters barely had any time to settle in from the twins birth before they were preparing for the next event in their lives. Luna and Colin were back in country briefly and gave their friends and family only three weeks' notice that they were going to use their brief foray back into England to be married. Nonetheless everyone was thrilled and made time to attend both the non-magical ceremony followed by the magical party afterward that was held during the third week of August. Two days after the wedding the newlyweds departed as leads on a new expedition in South Africa.

As the five year mark of the defeat of Voldemort passed all of the friends and allies marveled at how far they had come. The friendships they had formed young had remained and strengthened, even if some of the paths that had been expected had diverged from what had been planned.

Another year would pass with no major changes except that children were growing like the proverbially weeds. Ginny had held off from having any of her own to allow for her Quidditch career, but after nearly three years of marriage she decided it was time and found that her Prewett blood proved out immediately. From the moment she stopped her potion she was almost instantly pregnant. Neville was thrilled and walked about a mile high for the first week.

As for her husband, Neville had started his own business a year previously, opening an exotic plants nursery that specialized in only the rarest and most difficult of magical plants. It required no less than fourteen different certifications from the Ministry and the ICW and was only one of three of its kind in the world. The samples that Neville provided from Longbottom Nursery were sent around the world and were in high demand for top prices. Neville may have family money, but he didn't need it with the money that the new business was providing, not to mention that he loved the work that he was doing.

The other businesses being run by the group of friends were all doing quite well also. Ron was a full partner with his brothers and had contributed his yearly salaries to open the Hogsmeade branch of Weasley Wizard Wheezes, making him a full owner of the branch, which did a phenomenal business. A year previous he had started dating a seventh year Hogwarts student named Callidora Hewett. When she graduated, she had moved in with him and he and Callie were married the following Christmas. It had taken him a number of years to find his place, but he was finally happy. Callie loved him for the man he was, complete with somewhat rough edges at times.

As for the Potters, all four of their children were keeping them busy and were looking forward to attending Hogwarts in a few years. The boys both had dark black hair, with James sporting curls while Neil kept his spiky. The girls meanwhile had dark brown hair that hung in long ringlets. James, Jean, and Neil all inherited their father's eyes, while Lily surprisingly had hazel eyes that were a mix of her parents. They were all quite smart and all enjoyed flying to their mother's dismay. They also all enjoyed traveling and family trips to exotic locales around the world were a favorite pastime. Often they would make a point to meet up with the Creeveys wherever they happened to be.

The Creeveys had distinguished themselves as quite a duo within the magizoology community and Luna had proven the existence of several new creatures, while Colin had a unique flair for managing to photograph them in their natural environments. They so far had one daughter, Helene, who had just turned two and was a perfect little traveler.

When the time came for Ginny to deliver her first child, a son, she decided it was time to retire completely and gave notice to the Tornadoes. She had enjoyed her brief foray into professional Quidditch, but she wanted to be a mum and she had seen with her family and friends that there was much more that she could do with life. When Franklin Longbottom arrived on a brilliant day in September and all of her friends gathered to come visit, bringing their own children along as well, she looked around and thought back briefly to all those years before when they were sitting in Potter Manor and planning for the battle. It had been a long time coming to this point. They had sacrificed a lot, but it had been worth it.

o-o-o-o-o

 **It's hard to believe that HB is done, but there we are. Thank you to everyone for sticking with me. This started as a simple soul bond story and ended up as so much more. Now I will go back to my last in progress story, _Life's Interlude_ , and get it back on track. I actually just finished reading, editing, and re-posting all 34 chapters of it. Now I'm writing new material for it after over a year away so I can take it out of hiatus. Thank you everyone!**


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